HISTORY 

OF THE 

old ttgWE W ejii^ejl, 

WITH BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 
OF ITS PASTORS. 



WRITTEN BY 

REV. FRANK R. SYMMES, 

FIFTEENTH PASTOR. 




FREEHOLD, N. J.: 
PRINTED BY JAMES S. YARD & SON. 
I8 97 . 

L 




1954 



AUTHOR'S NOTE. 



The writing of this little book has been somewhat difficult from the 
fact that many of the records of the church were lost by fire in 1869. 
The author makes no claim of presenting something altogether new in 
the printing of this history. Much of what is herein said has been 
published or printed before by different persons at different times, and 
in different forms. These sketches have been collected, many facts, 
not previously in print, added, and the whole arranged into a continu- 
ous story of the old church. Whatever could be found, that was rele- 
vant and authentic, has been freely used. Neither does the author 
claim that this little book is without any mistakes, though accuracy 
has been the constant aim, and much time and labor have been given 
to the work. Nor is this history of Old Tennent exhaustive. It does 
not record everything concerning the old church ; and yet most all 
facts of note and importance now known will be found within its 
pages. More and new things are being brought to light continually. 
But if the printing of this history should wait until everything was- 
gathered together, it might be indefinitely postponed. 

Thankful acknowledgments are heartily made to Rev. Allen H.. 
Brown for his assistance, to Rev. Henry Goodwin Smith for his very 
kind loan of a number of half-tone plates, to The Freehold Transcript 
for the use of a number of line-cuts, and to many other persons for facts, 
suggestions, traditions, etc., as well as to all those who generously con- 
tributed funds for the printing of the book. Without all these aids the 
author could not have written and put this little history into book 
form. The Appendix will be found interesting. It opens a field for 
larger study of the church life. The proceeds that may arise from the 
sale of this volume will be devoted to the temporal interests of the 
Old Tennent church. 

Frank R. Symmes. 

Tennent, N. J. 

April, 1897. 



LIST OP AUTHORITIES. 



The following named books and papers with names of their authors 
are the authorities for the statements in this history, and from which 
various paragraphs have been quoted. To all these due acknowledg- 
ments are made. And to these the reader is referred for further infor- 
mation in regard to Old Tennent. 

Records of the Old Tennent Church. 

The Log College Archibald Alexander. 

The Constitutional History of the Presbyterian Church in the United 

States of America Charles Hodge. 

Records of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. 
A Histo^ of the Presbyterian Church in America. . .Richard Webster. 
History of the Sufferings of the Church of Scotland. .Robert Wodrow. 
History of the Presb3"terian Church in Trenton, N. J John Hall. 



Annals of the American Pulpit William B. Sprague. 

History of the Old Scots Church Henry Goodwin Smith. 

Various Historical Sketches Allen H. Brown. 

Historical Sketch of Monmouth Presbytery Joseph G. Symmes. 



Minutes of the Presb}*tery of New Brunswick. 
Minutes of the General Assembly. 
Minutes of the Presbyter}' of Monmouth. 
Contributions to the Earl 3' History of Perth Ambo}\ 

[William A. Whitehead. 

History of Monmouth County, N. J Franklin Ellis. 

Court Records in Monmouth County, N. J. 

Life and Times of Rev. Richard Baxter William Orme. 

Rrick Church Memorial (Marlboro, N. J.) Theodore W. Wells. 

Memoirs of Rev. David Brainerd Jonathan Edwards. 

The Life of John Brainerd Thomas Brainerd. 

Publications of the New Jersey Historical Society. 

Historical Sermons Archibald P. Cobb. 

Manual of the Village Presbyterian Church, Freehold, N. J. 

Presbyterian Church in Jamesburg, N. J. « Benjamin S. Everitt. 

Presb3^terian Church in Allentown, N. J George Swain. 

Records of the Presb3'terian Church in Manalapan. 
Papers in the Libra^ of Princeton Theological Seminar}^. 
Collections in the Presb3 T terian Historical Society, Philadelphia. 
Records of the Descendants of John Foreman William P. Forman. 



History of the Old Tennent Church. 



CHAPTER I. 

ORGANIZATION. 

The Old Tennent Church is situated in a little hamlet 
called by the same name, " Tennent," in Manalapan Town- 
ship, Monmouth Co., New Jersey. The place may be reached 
by trains over the Pennsylvania R. R. scheduled in time-table 
headed " New York and Am boy Divisions : " — or by carriage 
on the Freehold-Englishtown turnpike, crossing the Manala- 
pan and Patton's Corner turnpike. 



The present corporate name of the Tennent church is " The 
First Presbyterian Church of the County of Monmouth." Its 
history is that of a continuous organization, yet designated by 
different names. Its earliest formation is called the " Old 
Scots Church." Afterwards, for more than one hundred 
years it was known as the " Freehold Church." Under this 
name it acquired its reputation. But in memory of the saint- 
ly John Tennent, and the long and efficient services of his 
brother William Tennent, Jr. as pastors, it has taken the 
name of the " Tennent Church." By this name it has been 
enrolled in the lists of the General Assembly since 1859. 
This avoids confusing this church with the one organized in 
Freehold village in 1838, and which now is called " The First 
Church of Freehold." And finally, from the dignity of its 
great age and its interesting historical associations it has been 
colloquially styled " The Old Tennent Church." Thus, follow- 
ing the successive stages of its history it might reasonably be 
called The Scots-Freehold-Tennent Church. 



6 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKNENT. 



The sanctuaries that have stood on the present site, have 
locally been called the " Upper Meeting House," the " White 
Hill Meeting House," " Woodhull's Church,"* and " The Old 
Red Church." 




Taken from the State topographical maps of George H. Cook and C. C. Vermeule. 



By what can be ascertained from the most authentic facts 
anent the subject it strongly appears that some of the original 
members of the Tennent church were of Covenanter extrac- 
tion. It is not impossible to suppose that more than one that 



ORGANIZATION 



7 



worshiped in the Old Scots church had been a witness ot 
such murderous work as that of the cruel Claverhouse and 
his dragoons, and of the horrible tortures of the prisoners in 
the damp and foul Dunottar Castle. 

The Covenanters were elderly Scotch Presbyterians that 
hated and opposed prelacy. They believed that Christ is the 
head of the church, and the authority in all true religion, and 
that no man could usurp these prerogatives. They would not 
unite in worship that was led and governed by so-called 
functionaries. Therefore they refused to conform to the zeal- 
ous effort of King Charles the Ilnd to impose the rites and 
modes of prelatic worship upon them. Disobedience to the 
King's order by these non-conforming Presbyterians was 
especially manifested in their attendance on " conventicles."' 
or gatherings for worship that were apart from the established 
church, and often held in private houses or in retired glens. 
This opposition to the King's will was the cause of a bitter 
and bloody persecution of twenty- eight years, from 1660 to 
to 16SS. The Highland Watch, as it was called, was let 
loose upon the country (Scotland) : its inhabitants were 
spoiled of their goods : cast into prisons, banished, and sold 
as slaves : and multitudes of them shot in cold blood, and 
otherwise butchered, sometimes with, and sometimes without, 
form of law." (Orme). 

Some have estimated that during these twenty-eight years 
about eighteen thousand people were either banished or put 
to death. 

During the summer ot 16S5. in the period of the " Killing 
times so called, about one hundred men and women were 
imprisoned in Dunottar Castle, a strong fortress in eastern 
Scotland, built on a great rock looking out over the Xorth 
Sea. It is now in ruin-. Here these people were shut up in 
a vault which " was ankle deep in mire, with but one window 
overlooking the sea. They were without any conveniences 
for sitting, leaning, or lying, and. indeed, so full was the place, 
that little more than sitting room was afforded. Stifled for 
want of air, stinted for both food and water * * * * 



8 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



many died, and others became afflicted with diseases." 
(Whitehead). And when several attempted to escape, some 
were retaken and subjected to excruciating torture by having 
matches put between their fingers and kept burning for three 
hours. The scars of these and other barbarous tortures were 
carried by the persecuted ones through after life. This re- 
minds one of the story of the " Black Hole " in India, seventy 
years later. Toward the close of the summer these Dunottar 
prisoners were marched down to Leith, most of them on foot, 
" and their hands tied behind their back with small cords," 
making a weary journey of sixty-six miles after their dreadful 
incarceration. 

Previous to this a certain George Scot, laird of Pitlochie, 
having been fined and imprisoned a number of times for the 
sake of his religion, determined to sail for the plantations in 
East Jersey, to find there a refuge from the troublous times in 
his native land. Permission was granted him by the authori- 
ties to pass from the kingdom " without any Let, Impedi- 
ment, or Molestation." He chartered a vessel, " the Henry 
and Francis, of Newcastle, a ship of 350 tons, and twenty 
great guns, Hichard Hutton, master," or captain. Then he 
publicly announced his purpose of sailing to the colonies, and 
invited and solicited others who were of his mind, and like 
him persecuted, to take passage along with him. Many 
joined his company. Most of the Dunottar prisoners, then 
lying in the tolbooth at Leith, were sentenced to perpetual 
banishment to America, because they tenaciously and con- 
scientiously held to their religious principles. A considera- 
ble portion of them was transferred as a gift to the laird of 
Pitlochie ; that is, he was to carry them to America and 
there dispose of them so as to receive their passage money. 
But verily, in this way, he was acting as a quasi deliverer to 
these poor persecuted and mutilated prisoners. 

The vessel set sail from the port of Leith on September 5, 
1685, having on board in all about two hundred persons, of 
whom seventy-two are said to have been banished prisoners. 
One historian relates how these, prisoners suffered on ship- 



ORGANIZATION. 



9 



board by being disturbed in their worship under deck by the 
captain causing great planks of timber to be thrown down 
among them. The voyage was sadly disastrous. A sickness 
of virulent fever broke out, especially among the prisoners ; 
but also among the passengers and crew. About three score 
people died, and their bodies were committed to the deep. 
George Scot and his wife were among this number. John 
Johnstone, son-in-law to George Scot, took his place in direct- 
ing the voyage, and in disposing of the so-called prisoners. 
The captain proposed then to sail to Virginia or to Jamaica ; 
but the winds set toward New Jersey, and there on its shores r 
probably near Perth Amboy, the vessel finally arrived near 
the middle of December, 1685, after a voyage of about one 
hundred days. Many, if not all of the prisoners were, in 
process of time, cited before the legal authorities of the pro- 
vince, and settlements made for their passage money; after 
which they went free. The names of some of those on this 
ship were George Brown, John Frazer, John Foord, John 
Foreman, John Henderson, Michael Marshall, Andrew 
Patersou, William Spreul, Patrick "Walker, and William 
Wilson. 

East Jersey about this time appears to have had a dearth 
of gospel ministers, and yet the people manifested a desire for 
the services of such. A certain Peter Watson wrote to a 
friend in the old country under date August, 1684, "We 
have great need of good and faithful ministers, and I wish that 
there would come over some here ; they can live as well and 
have as much as in Scotland, and more than many get. We 
have none within all the Province of East Jerse}', except one 
who is preacher in Newark ; there were one or two preachers 
more in the Province, but they are dead, and now the people 
meet together every Sabbath-day, and read, and pray, and 
sing psalms in their meeting-houses." (Quot. in Hall). 

A goodly number of those that came in the ship " Henry 
and Francis " moved to New England, and some returned to 
Scotland. Some evidently settled in Monmouth County, and 
thus some of these passengers and prisoners most probably 



10 



HISTORY OF OLD TENKENT. 



were among the early members of the Old Scots church. 
Though this cannot be positively stated, yet facts strongly 
intimate it. The name of the church suggests that possibly 
it was so called in memory of George Scot ; or more surely 
from the fact that many if not most of its members were 
Scotch people. And the name of the eminence on which the 
old sanctuary was built was early called " Free Hill," which 
is very suggestive. Also, a letter of Rev. William Tennent, 
Jr., under date of October 11, 1744 reads, " This place (Free- 
hold) lies southwest from New York, and is distant from it 
about fifty miles. It was the first in the East Jersey, on the 
west side of the Raritan river, which was settled with a gos- 
pel ministry. This was owing, under God, to the agency of 
some Scotch people that came to it ; among whom there was 
none so painful in this blessed undertaking as one Walter 
Ker, who, in the year 1685, for his faithful and conscientious 
adherence to God and his truth, as professed by the church 
of Scotland, was there apprehended and sent to this country, 
under a sentence of perpetual banishment." (In Alexander). 
This very similarly corresponds to the story of the poor Dunot- 
tar prisoners. Walter Ker, as Whitehead says, " may have 
been a passenger with Scot." 

In 1855 in the Amboy bay might still have been seen the 
remains of an old ship named the " Caledonia," which had 
been commanded by Robert Drummond. Possibly because 
of its old and unserviceable condition the vessel w T as deserted 
presumably in 1715, and a storm breaking its moorings to the 
Amboy wharf, it drifted away to its wreck. Some people 
have preserved relics from this old vessel. It is supposed that 
this ship brought emigrants from Scotland as early as 1685, 
and it is a matter of history that it bore to New Jersey many 
Scotch families about 1715. Some of these most probably 
joined with the early worshippers of the Old Scots church. 

Also, it is not improbable that some of the settlers that 
came over with Lord Neil Campbell (brother to the Earl of 
Argyle) in 1685, or through his instrumentality afterwards, 
had their names enrolled on the Old Scots register. Among 



ORGANIZATION. 



11 



these settlers are found the names of John Campbell. Robert 

Campbell. John Boyd. John Craige. Archibald . James 

Craige. William Thompson. William Dunlop. John Duncan, 
and David Symson. (as given by Whitehead). 

Later on. the early lists of officers, members and supporters 
of Tennent church discover such family names as evidently 
indicate the amalgamation of French Huguenot and Reformed 
Dutch with the Scotch element, which latter at the first pre- 
dominated. 



The date of the organization of the Tennent church perhaps 
will never be positively and exactly known. It is a generally 
accepted opinion that the church was formed in 1692. From 
a manuscript letter by Rev. John Woodhull, dated April 23, 
1792. we learn that u The church was formed about an hun- 
dred years ago. chiefly by persons from Scotland." (in Hodge ). 
This might mean a short time previous, or a short time subse- 
quent to 1692. It may be that in its earlier days there was no 
formal organization by the Presbytery, and that it was only 
nominally recognized as such. Rev. Isaac V. Brown, in a 
foot-note in his sermon at the funeral of Dr. Woodhull, found 
authority for saying concerning Old Tennent. This congre- 
gation was regularly organized June 3, 1730." which was 
about the time of the coming of John Tennent as pastor. Yet 
Ions: before this it was considered as a verv church, since it 
was the first church in Xew Jersey to belong to the Philadel- 
phia Presbytery, 

The charter of incorporation of Old Tennent. which is still 
extant, bears date many years after the building of the Scot- 
church, in the twenty-third year of the reign of King George 
the Second, on the twenty-first day of February. 1719. It is 
on record in the office of the Secretary of State (Xew Jersey") 
at Trenton, in Book C 2 of Commissions, p. 190-195. It was 
signed by " the trusty and well beloved " Jonathan Belcher. 

Captain General and Governor in Chief''" over the province 
of New Jersey, and through whose influence it was obtained. 
It was granted under the name of •• The Trustees of the Pres- 



12 



HISTORY OF OLD TENKEITT. 



byterian Church of Monmouth County." There were to be 
nine trustees, and the names of the first board are therein 
given, as follows : — " John Little, Jr., Christopher Longstreet, 
Jonathan Forman, Esq., John Anderson, Esq., James Robin- 
son, John Henderson, Stephen Pangburn, Esq., Robert Imlay, 
and Tobias Polhemus." This charter is curious and interest- 
ing. It stood for the several different Presbyterian churches 
in Monmouth County, as described therein. For the perpet- 
uation of the board the minister, with the elders and deacons 
of the several Presbyterian churches were to meet at certain 
times and places previously agreed on, for the election of new 
trustees. These several churches were Freehold, Shrewsbury, 
and Allentown. (See Appendix). 

Some sort of a legal allowance possibly was made for the 
building of the first church on White Hill, for it is said that 
a permit was granted in 1727 by King George the First for 
the erection of that house. (H. G-. Smith). But the opening 
of the above mentioned charter is so worded that it seems to 
imply that there was no regular and specific charter previous 
to it. After the colonies became independent, the church 
was incorporated under the government of the state. 

Of the first board of trustees under Governor Belcher's 
charter John Henderson, scribe and elder of the congregation, 
was president. Very soon after the granting of the charter, 




Seal of the Monmouth church, full size. 



ORGANIZATION. 



13 



if not at the very first, the board was provided with a cor- 
porate seal, an illustration of which is given herewith. 

This seal was used by the board in the signing and sealing 
of important documents made by them. The fact of the one- 
time existence of such a seal, and of its form and device, was 
happily brought to light in 1896. The impression of this seal 
was discovered through the combined efforts of James Steen, 
Esq. and Rev. Allen II. Brown. It was found on a deed 
given by the trustees of Old Freehold to Elihu Williams, 
May 5, 1760, and in the possession of Arthur W. Little, of 
Philadelphia, who kindly loaned it for inspection. This deed 
with the impression of the seal was submitted to the Rev. Dr. 
Henry C. McCook, a connoisseur in seals and emblems, who 
deciphered the device in the dim impression, and wrote a 
very interesting paper in regard to it, which was published in 
" The Presbyterian " of May 27, 1896. Dr. McCook thought 
that the rough figure of a bush or tree on the center of the 
seal was probably an attempt to reproduce the " Burning 




Seal of the Scotch Kirk. 



Bush," the symbol on the seal of the Scotch Church, from 
which the Covenanters of Old Scots had come ; or that possi- 
bly it was meant to represent a " tree of liberty," which he 
said " has been the well-known symbol of popular freedom 
from early ages." Also Dr. McCook called attention to the 
similarity of the phrase " Religious Liberty " on the seal, 
with the words "Free Hill" and "Freehold," as sug- 
gesting " a clue to the spirit which prompted these lib- 
erated exiles to perpetuate their gratitude and their senti- 



14 HISTORY OF OLD TEKN T EOT. 



merits in the motto upon their corporate seal." This seal 
he said is " the oldest known corporate seal of any Amer- 
ican Presbyterian church." It stood for the Presbyterian 
Church of Monmouth County (New Jersey), which would 
embrace the Freehold, Shrewsbury, and Allentown churches, 
and possibly Cranbury. It was made and used in accordance 
with the instructions in the charter that the trustees " shall 
and may forever hereafter have and use a common seal with 
such device or devices as they shall think proper." (See 
" Royal Charter " in Appendix, the study of which will be 
found interesting as to the duties, powers, methods, &c, of 
the first regular trustees of Old Tennent). 

Of course, after the separate corporation was secured, the 
use of this Monmouth seal ceased. It is possible that the 
trustees then adopted a new seal. And yet if they did, it 
must have been lost or its use discontinued, for as late as May 
2, 1859, the trustees resolved " to procure a seal for the cor- 
poration and that the device be a key." If this resolution was 
carried out, then this seal also could not long have been used, 
since now for some years the trustees have not been accus- 
tomed to place any inscribed stamp on their documents. 



EDIFICES. 



15 



CHAPTER IT. 

EDIFICES. 



Near the centre of Marlboro township in Monmouth Coun- 
ty is situated the old cemetery of the Scots' church, a lonely, 
retired, and sacred God's acre on a little eminence called 
" Free Hill." It is about one hundred and ninety feet above 
mean sea level, and streams flow away from its vicinity in 
every direction. Here the first sanctuary in Tennent church 
history was built. The current tradition is that it was built 
of logs ; it may have been of logs smoothed on the outer and 
inner sides. Possibly it had a frame with an inclosure of 
heavy boards without paint. It must have been of primitive 
fashion as the facilities for house-building were necessarily 
limited in those early days, and especially in that portion of 
the province, since Webster remarks concerning a district 
near to Free Hill that " The country around Upper Freehold 
(Allentown) was at that time a wilderness full of savages." 
And this is obviously true, for descendants of native Indians 
remained within the bounds of Old Tennent for one hundred 
years afterward. By a certain depression in the ground some 
observers (H. G-. Smith) think they can see, and reasonably, 
the precise spot on which the church was built in that old 
yard ; and that it indicates an edifice about twenty feet square. 
Dr. Alexander about 1838 said that the remains of the old 
building might yet be seen. But now it is difficult if not 
impossible to find any " memory, tradition, or trace " of what 
it once was. Its erection was of early date. In the court 
records of Monmouth County for the next day after the fourth 
Tuesday in December, 1705, we may read as follows : " At 
ye Request of Mr. John Craig Walter Ker, William Ronnol 
Patrick Imly in behalf of themselves & their breatheren 
ye protestant decenters of freehold Called Presbeterians that 



16 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



there publick Meeting house may be Recorded Ordered by 
this Cort yt It be Recorded as followeth. 

The Meeting House for Relidgous Worship belonging to 
the Protistant discenters Called ye Presbeterions of ye town 
of Freehold In ye County of Monmouth in ye Province of 
New Jarsey is Scituate built lying & being at & upon a pece 
of Rising grownd or little hill Commonly known & Called by 
the nane of free hill In sd town." (Observe accompanying 
illustration). 

The church records read that on August 3, 1730, in a meet- 
ing of the congregation at William Ker's it was agreed " that 
the Old or Lower Meeting House be Repaired With all the 
Haste that can be." This suggests, if it does not prove, that 
the house had been standing many years, and possibly some 
time before the record in the County court was made. 

Within this old house the first Presbytery formed in Amer- 
ica, which was the Philadelphia Presbytery, convened, and 
there ordained the first known pastor of this church, the Rev. 
John Boyd, " before a numerous assembly " on the Lord's 
day Dec. 29, 1706. And this was the first meeting of that 
Presbytery of which there is any record now extaut. There 
must have been a meeting before this, but where and when it 
is not known, as the first leaf of the records of this Presby- 
ter is lost, and doubtless irrevocably, to the extreme and 
aggravating sorrow of the Presbyterian Church in this country. 

There is a deed still carefully treasured by the church, un- 
der date June 1, 1727, given by Alexander Neiper to John 
Johnston, Senr., Esqr., Peter Watson, Walter Ker, Senr., 
Patrick Imlay, Senr., Archibald Creige and Richard Watson 
for a lot of ground five chains square, or two and one-half 
acres. (See Appendix). In 1815, on the 12th of October, J. 
II. Newell, D. Sur., resurveyed this ground, and made a map, 
showing the original lines. Within this are the lines of the 
cemetery which then enclosed only ninety-four hundredths of 
an acre. The land was sold by Alexander Neiper u for and 
in consideration of a competent Sum of money" as is stated 
in the deed ; and besides this, it reads that these six named 



(■1 



f) f Sty . ,// ' ' ' a --*>. ■ /Sj " A ? ■ 

v, : i ^ ^4S/,^ $ ^ 



/9 o 




/IS- /® / - S j> ' A V'" / ' SSS'- ^ 



#y /SO~<~ 



EARLIEST OFFICIAL RECORDS CONCERNING THE OLD 
SCOTS CHURCH AND JOHN BOYD. 
From the Court Records of Monmouth Co., N.J. (Kindness of Rev. H. G. Smith.) 



EDIFICES. 



17 



men were to pay a sort of rent " Yeilding & Paying therefore 
Yearly & every Year for ye Said Tract of Land unto him 
ye Sd Alexander Kepier, his Heirs & Assigns a corn of Peper 
or the value thereof at or upon every 25th Day of March for 
ever hereafter in Lieu & instead of all other Services & De- 
mands." Perhaps this means that the land was virtually 
given to the church. This land had been granted to Alex- 
ander Neiper February 5, 1697, by deed of sale " from John 
Reid Esqr Deceased of Hortensie." John Reid was a map- 
drawer of the province, and subsequently became its Surveyor- 
general. According to Whitehead "Hortensia" was a tract 
of 200 acres of land given to him for his services in drawing- 
maps. It was situated in Monmouth County on the east 
branch of Hope River. Capt. John Anderson, of Monmouth, 
married his daughter Anna. John Reid died 'Nov. 16, 1723, 
and was buried in the Old Topanemus ground. 

To this deed from Alexander Xeiper an agreement is added 
and signed by four men, thus : " Before the signeing & sealing 
of this Deed the within Mentioned persons Doth all promise 
that them theire heirs and Every of them shall use the said 
Land for a buring Yard and to Keep a prisbteran Meeting 
and for JSTo Other Use the sade Alexander Nipper, his heires 
Exetor shall ~Not be troubled with Xo taveran "Nor !N"o Resi- 
dentar on the said tract of Land Given Under our hands this 
twenty seventh Day of March In the Year of oure Lord one 
thousand seven hundred and twenty Eight." The agreement 
is indorsed by Walter Ker, Archibald Creige, Richard Wat- 
son and Charles Gordon. This does not signify that there 
was no burial ground there before 1727. Rev. John Boyd 
was buried there in 1708. The subjoined agreement together 
with the phraseology of the deed would seem to imply that 
there were no trustees of the church in those days, who were 
legally authorized to receive, hold, and convey church prop- 
erty, and therefore no regular charter. This adds force to the 
supposition that the church had no specific charter until that 
given under Governor Belcher. 

This plot of two and a half acres of ground at Old Scots 

2 



18 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXffESTT. 



was held in peaceable possession by the congregation for many 
years. But Oct. 1, 1816, the trustees of Old Tennent church 
(Thomas Henderson, M. D., being President of the Board) 
sold to Garret I. Covenhoven one acre and a half of this 
ground for the sum of $90, " money of the United States." 
The deed stipulated that the whole plot of ground was sold to 
Mr. Covenhoven " excepting and reserving out of the same 
one acre which has been occupied and used for a burying 
ground by the presbyterian Congregation aforesaid for seven- 
ty or eighty years past, and is to be and remain for that use 
and purpose forever hereafter." The trustees of Old Tennent 
church claimed the right of selling this ground, as they stated 
in the deed, " by virtue of a deed of sale from under the hand 
and seal of Alexander Xeiper bearing date the first day of 
June in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred 
and twenty-seven which deed has been duly proved and 
recorded," and also " by virtue of possession the said Congre- 
gation not having had any Legal claim Set up against the said 
lot or any part thereof since the date of the aforesaid deed and 
having enjoyed the peacible quiet and undisturbed possession 
thereof for about ninety years." This deed is recorded in the 
County Clerk's office at Freehold, X. J., in Book Z, page 288. 
# The statements made in the deed for this ground by the Old 
Tennent trustees are one of the evidences that Old Tennent 
church is one continuous organization with Old Scots. From 
1816, it appears, the Old Scots burying ground has remained 
the same in area as it is at this present day, namely about 
one acre. 

In this Old Scots cemetery are a number of memorial tab- 
lets of brown sandstone, the forms and inscriptions of which 
are antique. In these inscriptions is revealed the fact that 
old Scotland furnished some of the early settlers of this region. 
Among the oldest of these were William Eedford and his wife 
Margaret,. who came over in 1682. The tombstone reads that 
William Eedford died in 1725-6 aged 84 years. 

Possibly this man had seen the blood of martyrs, and him- 
self had fled the sorrows of persecution, and become one of the 



EDIFICES. 



19 



first worshipers in this early church. It will be noticed that 
his birth was almost contemporaneous with the sitting of the 
Westminster Assembly. 

There also is the grave of Archibald Craig, who died 73 
years of age; and of Jonathan Forman, who died 71 years 
of age. Both these men were prominent in the church, as 
will be seen. 

Although not buried in this Old Scots ground mention 
must be made of Walter Ker, who was the father of Old Ten- 
nent Church, and whose grave-stone may be seen on a wooded 
and hilly point of ground about one-half mile east of the pres- 
ent Tennent church.. It bears this inscription, 

" Here lies what's Mortal of Walter Ker 
Deceased June ioth 1748 in y e 92 year of his age 
who long with Patience Bore lifes heavy load 
willing to spend & to be spent for God 
the noble Portrait in a line to paint 
he Breath'd a Father liv'd & Dy'd a saint 
Here sleeps in peace the aged sire's Dust 
Till the glad Trump arouse the sleeping Just." 

In this lonely retired spot by the side of his grave is also 
that of Margaret his wife, and also the grave of Margaret the 
wife of Joseph Ker. Reference has already been made to 
Walter Ker in connection with the origin of the church. His 
autograph here given is taken from the deed of 1727, when 



he was in the seventy-first year of his age. His grave 
is older than the present Tennent church building. In 
1685 he came from Scotland when about twenty-nine years of 
age, and " under a sentence of perpetual banishment." He 
was one of the original promoters of the Old Tennent churclx, 
and one of its earliest elders, serving it with long faithfulness 
and self-sacrifice. He is said to have " left his harvest field 
and went to Neshaminy to persuade (John) Tennent to go 




20 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKCTEffT. 



home with him " to preach in the church. (Webster). 
Though he met with a refusal at first, he ultimately suc- 
ceeded. Tradition tells that " On his return, he found that 
his neighbors had cut his grain and stacked it. A very gen- 
eral loss of the crop followed through some accident after 
housing it. Kerr's escaped, and furnished seed to those who 
had so kindly reaped his field." (Webster). He was evi- 
dently a man of decided opinions and force of character. His 
descendants may be found in different parts of the country. 
Two of his grandsons were ministers, the Rev. Nathan Ker, 
of Goshen, JS\ Y., and the Rev. Jacob Ker, of Somerset Co., 
Maryland. The Rev. Frank Melville Kerr, now (1897) in 
Hempstead, Long Island, is one of his descendants. He passed 
the years of his early life amid the sad scenes of persecution 
in his native land ; but the mercy of God gave him to be a 
man serviceable in promoting the Christian religion in this 
Old Tennent region, and to be a witness in his declining 
years of the glorious scenes of "The Great Awakening" 
in America. 

With him, John Hutton, Charles Gordon, Robert Gum- 
ming, David Rhe, John Henderson, Capt. John Anderson, 
and Joseph Ker were among the elders in the early days of 
the church. 

The congregation chose John Henderson to be their clerk, 
June 9, 1730 ; and it is his smooth and beautiful chirography 
that is seen on the pages of the earliest records the church 
now possesses. He was also president of the board of trus- 
tees. He had a large family of children, and was the father 
of Thomas Henderson, the physician, who afterwards became 
a very prominent officer and supporter of Old Tennent church. 
John Henderson's gravestone may be seen in the Old Scots 
cemetery, showing that he died Jan. 1, 1771, in the 74th year 
of his age. His Baptismal Record of the church, as shown in 
the Appendix, is an exceedingly interesting study. 

On Monday, July 20, 1730, the elders and representatives 
of the church " Met at the House of Charles Gordon and 



EDIFICES. 



■21 



Agreed to build a Meeting House between William Ker's 
Barrs & Rocky Hill Bridge." On the following August 3d 
the congregation met at William Ker's and it was agreed, 
among other things, " that all Diligence be Used to get Sub- 
scriptions for the Building the Meeting House." This had 
reference to the first sanctuary on White Hill. About four 
weeks later " Saturday August the 29th, 1730 the Elders & 
Representatives Met at the House of David Rhe & Chose for 
Undertakers or Managers in Building the Meeting House at 
Wm Kers Jonathan Forman, Timothy Lloyd, Archibald 
Craig, David Rhe, William Ker and John Henderson who is 
to go on in Building with all the Speed possible after this 
Sowing-time is Over and the Congregation is to give each 
Man their Bill or Bond to the Said Managers to enable them 
to go on with the Work. The Meeting House to be made 
Fortv feet Long and Thirty feet Wide. And Each of the 
Builders to have One Seat in it above their Common Due." 
These men must have pushed forward the work with all speed, 
for the first service was held in this new house by the next 
springtime, April 18, 1731. On the same day Margaret Ker, 
daughter of William, was baptized ; " the first Baptized in the 
New Meetiug House " as the baptismal records show. " A 
tradition has been handed down that it was planned by the 
' undertakers ' to locate the church upon a site lower than the 
present situation, and that old Janet Rhea, one of the Scotch 
Covenanters, seized the small corner-stone in her apron, and 
toiling to the top of the hill, set it upon the summit, saying to 
the astonished builders, ' Wha ever heard o' ganging doon to 
the Hoose o' the Lord, an no o' ganging oop to the Hoose o' 
the Lord?'" (Rev. H. G-. Smith). This strong minded 
woman died Jan. 15, 1761, aged about 93 years, and was 
buried in a private burial plot on the farm now occupied by 
Hon. D. D. Denise, near Freehold. 

An acre of ground was deeded to four men of the -church, 
Aaron Mattison, David Rhe, John Henderson, and Samuel 
Ker, May 1, 1731, by William Ker, which acre w^as part of a 
tract of land he had purchased from Walter Ker. It was sold 



w 



MOplOM 

— I 1 — 



■foe ■*°jW c m<{3s!j£.-/o7; i-^UY ^M. 



'01 




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dames (jra-haii-i. 

£7- fo. 



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Diagram of Pews in 1734 in the first church built on White Hill. 



EDIFICES. 



23 



to the four men for " the Sum of One Shilling Current Money 
of the province." This first acre of ground on White Hill 
stretched north and south, twice as long as it was wide ; and 
the church was placed near to the northern end of the plot. 
Doubtless the two great and venerable white oaks, that long 
overshadowed the church, were standing on White Hill when 
the deed for this acre was written. 

The meeting house was not fully completed for three years 
or more. The records show that on " April 13, 1734, The 
Meeting House on White Hill being Inclosed The Men of the 
Congregation Met and Voted That Aaron Mattison, David 
Rhe, William Ker & John Henderson who had hitherto Car- 
ried on the Work of the House Should proceed in getting a 
pulpit & Pews Made-and Appoint where each Person Should 
Sit and what the Price of Each Pew Should be, According to 
the following figure." (See plan). In 1730, in considering 
the building of this house " It was Agreed that the Service be 
one Sabbath at the Upper Meeting House & the other at the 
Lower Meeting House and So to Continue Successively." In 
this building John and William Tennent preached as pastors; 
and doubtless also at times David Brainerd, as intimated by 
his diary. 

And now in 1750, for the third time within a period of a 
little more than fifty years, the congregation undertook the 
work of another building. The prosperity and enlargement 
of the congregation was such during the twenty years previ- 
ous that it justified them in undertaking the erection of a 
more commodious room. It is likely also that stated preach- 
ing services in the Old Scots church had been discontinued by 
this time, and therefore the whole congregation were expected 
to assemble together regularly at White Hill, thereby fre- 
quently crowding the house. On May 29, 1750, all the trus- 
tees except Tobias Polhemus being present at the White Hill 
church, it was determined to build a new edifice that would 
be 60 feet long and 40 feet wide, thus enlarging the audience 
room to twice the size of the former one. August 10, 1?50, 



24 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKfTENT. 



the committee met at ^ 7n ' Robinson's and appointed John 
Davies chief carpenter to begin the work on the following 
February or March, and continue it until finished. (Rev. A. 
P. Cobb). This third house was erected near to the spot on 
which the former house stood on White Hill ; and this third 
house still stands to this present day (1897), in all general 
respects as it was when the last nails were driven. It is prob- 
able that some of the timbers of the former house were used 
in the building of this one. For the most part a new frame 
was made, hewn out of the enduring white oak. The sides 
of the building were sheathed with Ions; cedar shingles, and 
fastened with nails wrought out on an anvil. Its interior was 
finished with beaded and panelled white pine. An ancestral 
tradition tells that William Bedford Craig, a carpenter, built 
the neat and unique pulpit, as his contribution toward the 
erection and furnishing of the church. It is placed on the 
north side of the church, built against the wall, with narrow 
stairs leading up to it, closed in with a door, and the Bible 
desk being nine feet above the audience floor. Below this a 
second pulpit was built, where the precentors stood ; and 
around and in front, a square of seats, commonly called " the 
Elders Square." The tower or steeple of the church was 
stoutly built, set on a trestlework of enormous strength in the 
rafters, capable of supporting, in its ringing motion, a bell ot 
500 pounds weight. Although in 1856 the trustees made 
some movement toward the securing of a bell, yet the antique 
steeple still stands empty and quiet. Benjamin VanCleve, 
whose initials are stamped in the iron bars of the east and 
west door-latches, is reported to have made the iron furnish- 
ings of the church, such as nails, door-hinges, latches, and 
possibly the weather-vane on the steeple, a study in itself. 
(See Illustration). These were evidently all forged out on his 
anvil. The capacious galleries, the closed and lofty pulpit, 
and the straight high-backed pews with entrance doors, are 
studious samples of the ecclesiastic architecture in colonial 
times. The work begun in 1750 does not appear to have been 
fully completed until 1753, when the iron-bar fastenings of the 




"Peter G^ordon. £^ 



Qeovge "Walter 
IWicl Barclay. 



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Hendricfc. Voorhces 
Tun i s Va« d &rv e e r*. 4- 



Ni'cholas CooK.. 



(Joseph /Ccr. 



William Coven&oven^c j£ 



Robert James 
Thomas ^Tomsoii . £l£>. 



Abraham Cla-ytoix 

Jje.qz.~t S ml th. ■ 

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c7tf?i a.iha.7% Tffiea. QorcLo 



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Diagram of PeM'S in 1754 in second and present church built on White Hill. 



26 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



side doors were put on. It is an amusing little reminiscence 
of the past, for which Rev. D. Y. McLean is authority, that 
William Tennent and Rev. Dr. John Woodhull were accus- 
tomed to hang their overcoats, hats, and wigs on the three 
little wooden pegs fastened in the Avail above the pulpit-seat. 

An intensely interesting document is the original subscrip- 
tion paper, still preserved, that was used to gather funds for 
the erection of this building. So fast and binding were its 
stipulations that a man's signature thereunto was substantially 
in honor equal to his laying a mortgage on his property to 
the amount subscribed, until payment was made. (See Ap- 
pendix). This subscription paper contains the names of one 
hundred and ninety-two persons, and the total amount sub- 
scribed by these is seen to be about £500. 

The two diagrams of pews and seatings, as shown in this 
chapter, will be found interesting as affording information of 
the names of families in the congregation during these earl}* 
times, as well as suggesting other facts concerning them. In 
1754 there were live pews in the gallery that were owned as 
follows, the numbers beginning at the northeast corner : No. 
7 Dr. Peter Lacount, £8. No. 11 Philip Conine, Esq. £5.. 
10s., and John Siliman, £1.. 10s., making £7. No. 12 James 
Mulligan and David Brooks, £7. No. 13 Hugh McFarren, £7. 
No. 14 Robert McChesney and son, £8. Peter Forman, an 
officer in the Old Tennent church, in " his report May 29, 
1755, shows that the payment for the pews if not paid was to 
be on interest after May 1st, 1753." (Foreman Records). 



JOHN BOYD. 



27 



CHAPTER III. 

REV. JOHN BOYD. 

1706—1708. 

The Rev. A. P. Cobb stated in a historical sermon that the 
Rev. Mr. Keith while a missionary at Topanemus preached in 
the Old Scots church, and that also probably John Gray 
preached there in 1708. But evidently as far as can now be 
definitely known, the Rev. John Boyd was the first regular 
preacher in the church. Possibly, before him, there was no 
stated preaching by one man, the church only being served 
when occasional supplies could be obtained. The two men 
mentioned by Mr. Cobb may have thus preached in Old Scots 
either before or after the ministry of John Boyd. When such 
supplies could not be obtained it is only justice to the old 
Covenanters to suppose that they gathered on the Lord's day 
at Old Scots meeting-house, read the sacred Scriptures, sang 
psalms, catechized the youth, and were led in prayer by Wal- 
ter Ker, the church pillar, or some other good man of the 
company. 

John Boyd came to the church in its very early years. His 
name, identity, and grave must not be confounded with a cer- 
tain John Boyd who came from Ireland, and was a teacher 
and afterwards a merchant in the Tennent community. This 
man died in 1863, and his grave is in the Old Tennent bury- 
ing-ground surmounted with a marble headstone. 

It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to discover the history ot 
Rev. John Boyd prior to his coming to the Old Scots church. 
A person by the same name came to New Jersey among the 
Campbell settlers in 1685, but he could scarcely have been 
this minister. Pastor Boyd likely came from Scotland ; and 
possibly, as historian Webster says, he came over as a proba- 



28 HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



tioner with Makemie, Hampton, and McXish in 1705, and 
"probably at the solicitation of his countrymen." He must 
have had some sort of a license to preach, or was trusted as a 
man fitted to preach, at least a year before his ordination : 
for the early Monmouth court records read in Dec, 1705, 
that " Mr. John Boyd Minnister of the sd Presbeterians of 
freehold did also Parsonally Appear & did desire that he 
might be Admitted to quail ify himself as the law directs in 
that behalf. Ordered that further Consideration thereof be 
Refered untill the next Court of Quarter Sessions." (See 
illustration of early Court records). On May 29, 1706, he 
did qualify himself " as ye Law in yt Case Directs." 

The first page of the earliest records of the first Presbytery 
in America opens with a minute concerning the examination 
of John Boyd in view of ordination. These examinations 
were satisfactory to the members of Presbytery, as also his 
popular sermon which he preached on trial before Presbytery 
from John 1 : 12 : "But as many as received him, to them 
gave he power to become the sons of God." Accordingly he 
was ordained in the Old Scots meeting house (where it is 
probable the Presbytery was convened) on Sunday, Dec. 29, 
1706, a large audience being present. The next day, Monday, 
he received his certificate. Rev. Francis McKemie, called 
the "Father of the American Presbyterian Church," was the 
Moderator of this meeting of Presbytery. 

The first page of these Presbyterian Records begins thus, 

"BOOK 

De Regimine Ecclesice, which being heard was 
approved of a?id sustained. He gave in also his Thesis 
to be considered of against ?iext sederunt. 

Sederunt 2d. 10 bris. 27. 
Post preces sederunt. Mr. Francis McKemie Modr. 
Mr. fedidiah Andrew's and fohn Hampton Minisr. 

Mr. fohn Boyd performed the other parts 
of his Tryals, viz. preached a popular sermon on 
f?io. 1. 12. defended his Thesis, gave satisfaction 
as to his Skill in the Languages & answered 




f&jf tfv*-- »*» -city «* M> . Vn- «>■ ,* A 



:$jgc«f> 4^ uj3 ' 



• ^^^^^ 



JOIIX BOYD. 



29 



to extemporary questions : all which were ap- 
proved of & sustained. 

Appointed his ordination to be on ye 
next Lds. day ye 29th Ins. which was accordingly 
performed in the publick Meeting house of this 
Place, before a ?iu?nerous Assembly. A?id the next 
day he had ye Certificat of his Ordination." {See Illustration). 

As these Presbyterial records proceed, references to Mr. 
Boyd may be noticed in which he is appointed to matters and 
positions of importance among the churches. Because of 
some differences between the people of the Woodbridge 
church and the minister Mr. Wade, the Presbytery appointed 
Mr. Boyd to preach there every third Sabbath for a season, if 
the Woodbridge people desired it, and if the Freehold people 
consented to it, In the spring of 1708 the people of the Free- 
hold church presented a letter to Presbytery concerning the 
settlement of Mr. Boyd among them. Action thereon was 
deferred for the time ; and before the next spring Mr. Boyd 
had gone the way of all the earth. In the next meeting of 
the Presbytery this short, sad, and expressive record is made : 
" The Rev. Mr. John Boyd being dead, what relates to him 
ceases." Thus it may be noticed that Rev. John Boyd was 
not regularly settled as pastor of the Old Scots church, 
although nominally he acted in that capacity. 

lie died August 30, 1708, and was buried in the Old Scots 
sacred acre. A tombstone marks his grave. This at first was 
laid horizontal with the ground on a packing of stone and 
lime. In this position it rested for nearly 175 years, until, 
about 1883, in a neglected and dilapidated state, and covered 
with a luxuriant growth of lichens, it attracted the attention 
of an observer (Gideon C. McDowell, living near by the cem- 
etery), who respectfully thinking to preserve it, raised it to an 
erect position, fastening one end of the slab in the ground. 
The inscription is in Latin, the first line across the stone at 
the top being, 

" PIENTISSIMI DOMINJOANOTTIS/' 

Of this inscription the Rev. Dr. John Hall, in his History 



30 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



of the Presbyterian Church in Trenton, N". J., has made the 
following translation : — 

<( The ashes of the very pious 

Mr. JOHN BOYD, pastor 

of this church of Calvin, are here 

buried, whose labor, although expended 

on a barren soil, was not lost. 

They who knew him well, at the same 

time prove his worth as rich in virtues. 

Reader, follow his footsteps, and I hope 

thou wilt hereafter be happy. 

He died August 30, 1708, the 29th 

year of his age. ' ' 




Old Tenuent Church as it appeared in 1S54. 



EEV. JOSEPH MORGAN. 



31 



CHAPTER IV. 

REV. JOSEPH MORGAN. 

1709—1729. 

The next pastor (the second) was the Rev. Joseph Morgan. 
He was a New Englander, born in New London, Connecticut, 
Nov. 6, 1674, and possibly with Welsh blood in his veins. It 
is said that he graduated at Yale College, 1702, being in the 
first class that completed its course in that institution. When 
he was twenty-three years of age he was ordained to the Gos- 
pel ministry. He served churches in Bedford and East Ches- 
ter, N. Y. In the close of the year 1708, or in 1709, he came 
to Old Scots. The exact time of his settlement can scarcely 
be determined. He was pastor of the Old Scots church, and 
at the same time he was pastor, or " Dominie," of the Brick 
church at Marlboro (now called The First Reformed Church 
of Freehold). "When he appeared in Court to take the 
necessary oaths as a minister of the Gospel, he was presented 
by representatives of both congregations. These oaths were 
required because he was not a minister of the church of Eng- 
land. According to ' An Act of Parliament for Exempting 
her Majesties Protestant subjects discenting from the Church 
of England, from the penalties of certain laws,' every minis- 
ter not in the communion of the English church was obliged 
to take oath that he would not teach the doctrine of Transub- 
stantiation, nor anything contrary to the doctrine of the Trini- 
ty, as taught in the thirty-nine articles of the English church. 
This was called 'qualifying,' and in this manner Dominie 
Morgan ' qualified' himself, in December, 1709, having been 
6 presented by several of said congregation, viz : Jacob Laen, 
John Wikof, John Sutfin, William Ilendrickson, John 
Essmith, William Wilkins and Auri Mattison, in behalf of 
themselves and the rest of their brethren.' The first three of 



32 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



these persons were in the communion of the Reformed church, 
the others represented the Scotch Presbyterians." (Rev. T. 
W. Wells). Auri Mattison was probably Aaron Mattison, then 
twenty-eight years of age. Mr. Morgan lived on the parson- 
age farm at Marlboro. Speaking of his sons he said, " His 
eldest son had been more of an impediment than a help to 
him ; his second son was at Yale ; and the third and fourth 
relieved him from the labour of the parsonage plantation.''' 
(Webster). The Dutch church and Scots church were not 
greatly distant from each other, and Mr. Morgan was able to 
preach both in the English and Low Dutch languages. 
But the Brick church at that time was more flourishing than 
the Old Scots, and so all parties were willing that the Dutch 
church should employ three fourths of the services of Mr. 
Morgan. Yet during the whole period of his pastorate he 
was a member of the Philadelphia Presbytery. 

" At this time Monmouth county was little less than a for- 
est. Here and there was a clearing, but the settlements were 
widely scattered, the streams unbridged, and the roads not 
much more than paths through the wilderness. Horseback 
riding for many years was a necessity. In the latter part of 
his ministry Dominie Morgan, it is said, attracted attention 
by riding through the country in a two wheeled cart or gig — 
probably the -first thing of the kind brought into the county.*' 
(Wells). 

Perhaps Mr. Morgan might be styled somewhat eccentric ; 
certainly he was possessed of intellectual ability, and was a 
man of extended erudition for his times. In his later life 
various charges were brought against him apparently without 
foundation. But in 1736 Presbytery disciplined him for 
intemperance, and suspended him from the ministry for a 
time. He was restored in 1738. (Webster). 

He removed from the Scots, or Freehold, church about 1729. 
Some twelve years later he died, while ardently engaged in 
missionary labors in destitute districts by the seacoasts of Xew 
Jersey; and was buried in a grave now probably unknown. 



REV. JOSEPH MORGAN. 



33 



What little is known about the church and congregation 
during these years apparently discloses a sad condition ; espe- 
cially toward the close of Mr. Morgan's ministry. Divisions 
seem to have arisen among the people; and probably also an 
opposition to Mr. Morgan, in which possibly was Walter Ker. 
Rev. William Tennent, Jr., in a letter to Rev. Mr. Prince, of 
Boston, says of the Freehold church: "In the year 1729, 
their minister removed from them, and they were so grievous- 
# I} 7 divided among themselves, that it appeared improbable 
they would ever agree in the settlement of another. In this 
miserable, helpless and almost hopeless condition they lay, 
and few among them had either eyes to see, or hearts to be- 
wail, their wofnl, wretched circumstances. Thus they seemed 
to be cast out, as the prophet Ezekiel represents it in the 16th 
chapter of his book, and 5th verse. But the Lord, who is 
rich in mercy, of his unexpected and unmerited love, passed 
by them lying in their blood, and said unto many of them 
since that day, Live; and live they shall to all eternity." But 
refreshing times, and better days were coming, and the begin- 
ning of a long period of prosperity and comparative peace. 



3 



34 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



CHAPTER V. 

REV. JOHN TENNENT. 

1730—1732. 

The third pastor of old Freehold was Rev. John Tenneut, 
who was born in county Armagh, Xorth Ireland, Xov. 12, 
1707. He came to America in 1716 with his father the Rev. 
William Tennent, Sen., and was educated in his father's " Log 
College" at Xeshaminy, Bucks Co., Penna., about twenty 
miles north of Philadelphia. His conviction of sin was un- 
usually deep and intense ; sometimes being almost in despair. 
" For several days and nights together he was made to cry out 
in the most dolorous and affecting manner, almost every mo- 
ment." His conversion was a remarkable experience. His 
Christian life was distinguished for piety and consecrated zeal. 
He was a modest, gentle, humble young man, yet proved to 
be possessed of the traits of an attractive and powerfully 
effective preacher. 

Walter Ker, the old painstaking elder of the Freehold 
church, was instrumental, under God, of inducing him to 
make a preaching visit to this church, which resulted in the 
congregation giving him a unanimous call, April 15, 1730. 
The following autumn, Xov. 19, 1730, he was ordained, and 
earnestly entered upon his work. The following is John 
Henderson's account of this settlement : ;i> Thursday. Xovem- 
ber 19th, 1730 Then the Presbytery or a Committee of the 
Same Met at the Scots Meeting house and after fasting and 
prayer and Strict Examination and full Approbation Did Or- 
dain the Rev.d Mr. John Tennent * * Ministerial Charge in 

this Congregation : The Ministers X * that * * * * 

William Tennent, Jonathan Dickinson, Joseph Morgan, and 
Gilbert Tennent. The Xames of the Committee for the 
Congregation was Walter Ker & John Hutton Elders, Jona- 



REV. JOHN TENNENT. 



35 



than Formau Esq Richard Clark, David Rhe, Richard Wat- 
son, William Ker, Robt Camming, John Henderson, Robert 
Newall, Waltar Wilson, George Walker, Timothy Lloyd & 
Charles Gordon." 

As has been said, the congregation was in a deplorable con- 
dition when John Tennent was requested to preach in the 
church. William Tennent, in his letter above mentioned, 
says that his brother shrunk from going to preach in Freehold, 
for he wrote that John " often told me, that he was heartily 
sorry he had engaged to go among them (the Freehold con- 
gregation), for it seemed to him that they were a people whom 
God had given up for their abuse of the gospel. But the 
Lord's thoughts are not our thoughts, nor his ways our Avays, 
for when he had preached four or five sabbaths in the place, 
which was the whole time he tarried among them at first, the 
Lord so blessed his labours, engaging people to attend to the 
things which were spoken, and in stirring them up to search 
the Scriptures whether these things were so or not, and with- 
al enabling him to preach to them with such uncommon free- 
dom and earnestness, that he told me he was fully persuaded 
Christ Jesus had a large harvest to bring home there ; so that, 
though they were a poor broken people, yet if they called him, 
he would settle among them, albeit he should be put to beg 
his bread by so doing." (Alexander). 

John Tennent preached both in the Old Scots church and 
in the new and first church on White Hill. The next month 
after his ordination he baptized Jane Henderson, daughter of 
the clerk, who made this entry in the church record of bap- 
tisms, " The first Child ever the Revd Mr. John Tennent Bab- 
tized." She died in her 19th year, and her tombstone may 
still be seen in the Old Scots yard. John Tennent's ministry 
was remarkably fruitful. He came to Freehold as a ready 
reaper to a ripe harvest. Crowds filled the sanctuary. All 
classes listened to the preaching of the Holy Word with strick- 
en consciences. Pastor and people were sometimes in tears 
together ; people sobbed under intense conviction, and at 
times some were carried out as if dead. A great reforming 



36 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



work began. Religion was the common topic with all. These 
reviving times in old Freehold under John Tennent formed a 
portion of the early workings of " The Great Awakening " in 
America in the eighteenth cento r v. 

But God soon took his young servant to himself; for, only 
two years after the church had called him, this saintly young 
man, on a Sabbath morning, April 23, 1732, peacefully en- 
tered the everlasting rest, in the twenty-fifth year of his age. 
The people, who had greatly respected and trusted him, 
mourned deeply over his early departure. This is expressed 
in the following minute by John Henderson in the church 
records : —"Lords Day April 23th 1732 The Reverd & Dear 
Mr. John Tennant Departed this Life between 8 & 9 of the 
Clock in the Morning and was Buried on The Tuesday fol- 
lowing A Mournful Providence & cause of great Humilia- 
tion to this poor Congregation to be bereaved of the flour of 
Youth The most Labourious Succesfnl well Quallified & 
pious Pastor this Age aforded tho* but a Youth of 25 Years 5 
Months & 11 Days of Age.'' For about six months before he 
died he was physically unable to preach in the public services, 
but " his love for his people and concern for their welfare ' ? 
rather increased than diminished. The results of his ministry 
continued to be manifested in the conversion of souls very 
conspicuously after his death ; and which his brother William 
said were reaped by him especially daring the early years of 
his long pastorate in the church. 

In whatever credit that may be attached to human agency 
under God's blessing in making the life of Old Tennent 
church grand and glorious, the name of John Tennent, in 
some respects more than William Tennent, deserves a position 
of distinguished honor. 

. He was buried in the Scots ground, hard by the old build- 
ing ; and for his tombstone that lies horizontal with the 
ground, the Rev. Jonathan Dickinson composed the epitaph, 
which still may plainly be seen. 



REV. JOHN TENNENT. 



37 



" Here lies what was mortal of 
The Rev. Mr. John Tennent 
Nat. Nov. 12, 1707 Obijt April 23 
1732 

Who quick grew old in learning Vertue Grace. 
Quick finished well yielded to Death's Embrace. 
Whose mouldered dust this Cabinet contains. 
Whose soul triumphant with bright Seraphs reigns. 
Waiting the time till Heaven's bright Concave flame 
And ye last trump repairs this ruined frame. 
Cur praematuram mortemque queramuracerbam 
Mors matura vinit cumbona Vita fuit." 

The grave tablet is quadrangular in form, lies flat in the 
ground, gray and brown with age, and sacred with the 
memory of his godly life, a very inspiration to the thoughtful 
observer. 



38 HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



CHAPTER VI. 

REV. WILLIAM TENNENT, JR. 

1733—1777. 

The fourth pastor of Old Freehold was the Rev. William 
Tennent, Jr., famous in religious and church history. lie 
was born June 3, 1705, in Armagh County, Ireland, and was 
about thirteen years of age when he came with his father to 
America. With his brothers he was a student in the Los: 
College at Neshaminy, Pennsylvania. He showed great in- 
dustry in his studies, and became particularly proficient in 
the Latin language. His mind and heart were early and 
deeply impressed with divine things, and he determined to 
devote his life to the ministry of the gospel. His biography 
is of surpassing interest, a fascinating story of the unusual 
and extraordinary in spiritual life ; the main features of which 
are too well known to recount here in detail. 

lion. Elias Boudinot's narrative concerning William Ten- 
nent, Jr., which was published by Robert Carter & Bros, in 
neat booklet form, and also in Dr. Archibald Alexander's 
" Log College " published by the Presbyterian Board of Pub- 
lication, will charm and impress the reader in such a manner 
that he will never forget it. Perhaps a short account of the 
celebrated trance of Mr. Tennent ought to be here given. 
The following is a brief letter written by Rev. John Wood- 
hull to the author of the above named narrative : — 

" ' Monmouth, New Jersey, December 10th, 1805. 
Dear Sir : — Agreeably to your request, I now send you in 
writing the remarkable accounts, which I sometime since gave 
you verbally, respecting your good friend, my worthy prede- 
cessor, the late Rev. William Tennent, of this place. In a 
very free and feeling conversation on religion, and on the fu- 



REV. WILLIAM TENNENT, JR. 



39 



ture rest and blessedness of the people of God, (while travel- 
ling together from Monmouth to Princeton,) I mentioned to 
Mr. Tennent, that I should be highly gratified in hearing 
from his own mouth, an account of the trance, which he was 
said to have been in, unless the relation would be disagreeable 
to himself. After a short silence, he proceeded, saying, that 
he had been sick with a fever, that the fever increased, and he 
by degrees sunk under it. After some time (as his friends 
informed him) he died, or appeared to die, in the same man- 
ner as persons usually do ; that in laying him out, one hap- 
pened to draw his hand under the left arm, and perceived a 
small tremor in the flesh ; that he was laid out, and was cold 
and stiff. The time for his funeral was appointed, and the 
people collected ; but a young doctor, his particular friend, 
pleaded with great earnestness that he might not then be 
buried, as the tremor under the arm continued ; that his 
brother Gilbert became impatient with the young gentleman, 
and said to him, ' What! a man not dead, who is cold and stiff 
as a stake V The importunate young friend, however, pre- 
vailed ; another day was appointed for the burial, and the 
people separated. During this interval many means were 
made use of to discover, if possible, some symptoms of life, 
but none appeared except the tremor. The doctor never left 
him for three nights and three days. The people again met 
to bury him, but could not even then obtain the consent of 
his friend, who pleaded for one hour more; and when that 
was gone, he pleaded for half an hour, and then for a quarter 
of an hour; when, just at the close of this period, on which 
hung his last hope, Mr. Tennent opened his eyes. They then 
pried open his mouth, which was stiff, so as to get a quill into 
it, through which some liquid was conveyed into the stomach, 
and he by degrees recovered. 

This account, as intimated before, Mr. Tennent said he 
received from his friends. I said to him, ' Sir, you seem to be 
one indeed raised from the dead, and may tell us what it is to 
die, and what you were sensible of while in that state.' He 
replied in the following words ; ' As to dying — I found my 



40 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



fever increase, and I became weaker and weaker, until all at 
once I found myself in heaven, as I thought. I saw no shape 
as to the Deity, but glory all unutterable I' Here he paused, as 
though unable to find words to express his views, let his bri- 
dle fall, and lifting up his hands, proceeded, ' I can say, as St. 
Paul did, I heard and I saw things all unutterable ; I saw a 
great multitude before this glory, apparently in the height of 
bliss, singing most melodiously. I was transported with my 
own situation, viewing all my troubles ended and my rest and 
glory begun, and was about to join the great and happy mul- 
titude, when one came to me, looked me full in the face, laid 
his hand upon my shoulder and said, c You must go back.' 
These words went through me ; nothing could have shocked 
me more: I cried out, Lord, must I go back? With this 
shock I opened my eyes in this world. When I saw I was in 
the world I fainted, then came to, and fainted for several 
times, as one probably would naturally have done in so weak 
a condition.' 

Mr. Tennent further informed me that he had so entirely 
lost the recollection of his past life, and the benefit of his for- 
mer studies, that he could neither understand what was spok- 
en to him, nor write, nor read his own name. That he had 
to begin all anew, and did not recollect that he had ever read 
before, until he had again learned his letters, and was able to 
pronounce the monosyllables, such as thee and thou. But, that 
as his strength returned, which was very slowly, his memory 
also returned. Yet, notwithstanding the extreme feebleness 
of his situation, his recollection of what he saw and heard 
while in heaven, as he supposed, and the sense of divine 
things, which he there obtained, continued all the time in 
their full strength, so that he was continually in something 
like an ecstacy of mind. ' And,' said he, i for three years the 
sense of divine things continued so great, and everything else 
appeared so completely vain, when compared to heaven, that 
could I have had the world for stooping down for it, I believe 
I should not have thought of doing it.' " (See " The Log 
College," p. 116). 



REV. WILLIAM TENNKNT, JR. 
(From a picture in the possession of the Presbyterian Historical Society.) 



42 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



Mr. Tennent's confident faith and composure of mind under 
the imminence of ignominious penalties by the court at Tren- 
ton, IS". J., in a suit brought against him for perjury instigated 
by malicious enemies of religion ; and his remarkable deliver- 
ance through the influence of a dream on the minds of two 
people at a distance, who opportunely arrived to testify in his 
favor, is a signal case of God's interposition in behalf of his 
believing people. 

His high spiritual experience while walking in the woods 
during the interval between the sanctuary services on a Sab- 
bath day, when he was prostrated with a view of the infinite 
wisdom and ineffable glory of God, and his profoundly im- 
pressive preaching after he was led back to his pulpit through 
the assistance of his elders, forms a record that savors of the 
times of the apostles. 

Singular and amusing anecdotes have been written concern- 
ing Mr. Tennent ; as that about the mysterious mutilation of 
one of his feet by the loss of several toes while asleep in the 
night; and as that about his running after the preaching car- 
penter in order to converse with him and convince him of the 
doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. 

Mr. Tennent was tall in stature, being somewhat over six 
feet. His face was thin, his nose long and sharp, and his eyes 
piercing bright. His countenance was of solemn mien, as 
might be supposed in such a man, and yet withal it was 
cheerful. Thus his whole external appearance was such as 
would command respectful attention before any audience. A 
man of considerable erudition, of pronounced piety and of in- 
tense spirituality, he exercised unusual influence. He was a 
successful peacemaker in settling disputes that arose in the 
surrounding congregations. As a preacher he was strong, 
attractive, prolific, successful. Only a few specimens of his 
sermonizing remain for our study in this day. His autograph 
shown on next page was taken from a receipt of 1773. 

After the death of John Tennent the Freehold congregation 
turned their attention to William Tennent, who had been 
preaching in their pulpit for about six months while his broth- 



REV. WILLIAM TENNENT, JR. 



43 



er John was slowly dying. John Henderson, the clerk, to 
whom so much credit is due for full and accurate statements 
concerning those earl}- days of Old Tennent, sadly writes of 



the young Tennent's death, and then goes on to record, 
"after which we lived Destitute of a Pastor or any Constant 
Supply untill September 28 Day 1732 when the Revd Mr. 
¥m. Tennent Jun* after much Reluctance was prevailed 
upon to Settle amongst us at least a time." In a further rec- 
ord he writes " Saturday September 8th 1733 David Rhe & 
Robert Cumming was Chosen our Commissioners to Present 
a Call to the Revred Mr. Wm. Tennent Junr at the Synod of 
Philadelphia which Call Mr. Tennent Accepted. Thursday 
October 25th. 1733 A Committee of the Presbetry Met at 
White Hill Meeting House & after Examination & Approba- 
tion Did with Fasting Prayer & Laying on ot Hands Ordain 
the Revd Mr. Willm Tennent Junr to Pastoral Charge in this 
Congregation The Names of the Ministers of the Commit- 
tee were the Revd Mr. Joseph Morgan Moderator Mr. Wil- 
liam Tennent * * * *& Mr. Eleazar Wales. The Names 
of the Committee ****** Charles Gordon & John 
Hutton Elders." 

Mr. Tennent continued the active and earnest pastor of old 
Freehold until his triumphant death March 8, 1777, when he 
had almost reached seventy-two years of life. He had been a 
helper of the poor, a friend to the rich, a true and loyal pa- 
triot, a peacemaker of unusual tact, and a trusted and revered 
pastor. A great concourse of people from his own congrega- 
tion and from the country around assembled at his funeral 
service. His body was buried beneath the floor near the cen- 
tre of the church on White Hill where it rests unto this day. 
It was buried here, it is said, for safety from possible molesta- 
tion by English sympathizers. Forty-one years after this, 




44 



HISTORY OF OLD TENXENT. 



in 1818, a memorial tablet three feet by six feet in size, made 
of white marble and with a suitable inscription thereon, was 
placed in the wall of the church on the west side of the pulpit. 
The funds for the erection of this tablet were contributed by 
friends, subscriptions being solicited by a young woman with 
others to assist her. In 1890 this tablet was removed to the 
wall on the east side of the pulpit and its engraved letters re- 
gilded. This was in order to erect a recess where it had been 
placed, and in which a pipe organ now stands. (See illustra- 
tion). 

With the settlement of William Tennent the church en- 
tered upon a long period of flourishing growth. The number 
of communicants in the church increased. The reviving times 
of John Tennent's ministry continued after his death, and a 
harvest from his labors was partially reaped by his brother 
through a number of years. 13 ut William Tennent's preach- 
ing and energetic and thorough pastoral visitation and con- 
versation promoted a deep spiritual influence throughout the 
congregation. 

William Tennent preached in both pulpits, the one at White 
Hill and the one at the Old Scots church. The Old Scots 
church was called the " Lower Meeting House," and the 
church on White Hill was called the " Upper Meeting House." 
About the time William Tennent became pastor the larger 
portion of the congregation lived around and south of the 
church on White Hill, so much so that both churches seem to 
have been situated on one side of the centre of the congrega- 
tion. For some years the people of the southern portion com- 
plained of the " great hardship put upon them in Travailing so 
far to the Lower Meeting House Seeing the Upper Meeting 
House was below the Centre of the Congregation." Accord- 
ingly committees were appointed in the early part of the year 
1737-8 to consider the matter, which after consultation re- 
ferred it to the session, and they in turn " RefFerred it to the 
next Presbyterie for their Judgmt in the Affair Avhich the 
Session tho't was Weighty." But on Monday May 8, 1738, 
after service (wherein Mr. Tennent had given notice of the 



REV. WILLIAM TENNENT, JR. 



45 



meeting of Presbytery, and desired the congregation to agree 
amicably or prepare the matter for a hearing) some of each 
party stayed, and having debated the matter settled the ques- 
tion by themselves, by resolving that the congregation should 
all join in repairing " the Doors & Defective post of the Low- 
er Meeting house," which was forthwith done. They also 
resolved at this same time that henceforth service should be 
held for two Sabbaths at the White Hill meeting house and 
one at the Old Scots church. How long this arrangement 
continued is unknown ; nor can it be ascertained when ser- 
vices were finally suspended in the Old Scots house. 

During the pastorate of William Tennent some noted 
divines are said to have occupied the pulpit of old Freehold. 
It is very likely that David Brainerd and his brother John 
both preached in the first church on White Hill, and possibly 
John in the second or present church. Both these men were 
intimate friends of Mr. Tennent, and their diaries show that 
they were frequently at his home in connection with their 
work among their Christian Indians, some of whom lived in 
the neighborhood of Freehold and sometimes came to Mr. 
Tennent's parsonage to converse with him. 




The Old Communion Table. 



The famous George Whitefield, England's great pulpit ora- 
tor and evangelist, doubtless preached in the pulpit of the 
present church. William Tennent thought well enough of 
him to visit him, as he was passing through/New Jersey dur- 
ing his last journey in America, and so he must have been 
one of those ministers that opened his pulpit to this great 
preacher. It is a well authenticated tradition that Whitefield 



46 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



once preached in the present Old Tennent pulpit from the 
text Acts 26 : 18. 

In the church may still he seen an old communion tahle, 
that bears evidence of belonging to the first sanctuary built 
on White Hill. Its workmanship does not correspond to that 
of the inner finishing of the present church, especially with 
that of the pulpit and the square inclosure. There is a rugged 
massiveness about it that suggests the work of an earlier date 
than that of the fine panel-work of the present church. Also 
by comparing the conformation of this table with the plans of 
the seatings of the two buildings, it will be plainly seen to 
apply more to the former one. It is a tradition that Brainerd 
(evidently David) administered the Lord's Supper to his con- 
verted Indians from this old table. David, in his diary Sat- 
urday, June 7, 1746, writes : " Being desired by the Rev. 
William Tennent to be his assistant in the administration of 
the Lord's Supper, I this morning rode to Freehold to render 
that assistance. My people also being invited to attend the 
sacramental solemnity ; the} 7 cheerfully embraced the opor- 
tunity, and this day attended the preparatory services with 
me." And the next day, among other things, he writes, " A 
number of my dear people sat down by themselves at the last 
table ; at which time God seemed to be in the midst of them." 
The people of old Freehold seemed to have been kindly dis- 
posed toward the missionary work among the Indians in New 
Jersey. In a certain length of time they raised £12 . lis. for 
this work. William Tennent was interested in the labors of 
David and John Brainerd among the Indians near to Free- 
hold, " and often took the care of the Indian church in their 
absence." In a letter for the general public written August 
16, 1746, to attest the work of divine grace among the Indi- 
ans, he says : "As I live not far from the Indians, I have been 
much conversant with them, both at their own place, and in 
my own parish, where they generally convene for public wor- 
ship in Mr. Brainerd's absence, and I think it my duty to 
acknowledge, that their conversation, hath often, under God, 
refreshed my soul." His elders and deacons also made an 



KEY. WILLIAM TENKEET, JR. 



47 



attestation of the true work of grace among the Indians as 
follows : 

u We whose names are underwritten, being elders and dea- 
cons of the Presbyterian Church in Freehold, do hereby testi- 
fy, that in our humble opinion, God, even our Saviour, has 
brought a considerable number of the Indians in these parts 
to a saving union with himself. Of this we are persuaded 
from a personal acquaintance with them ; whom we not only 
hear speak of the great doctrines of the gospel with humility, 
affection, and understanding, but we see walk, as far as man 
can judge, soberly, righteously, and godly. We have joined 
with them at the Lord's supper, and do from our hearts es- 
teem them as our brethren in Jesus. For 4 these who were 
not God's people, may now be called the children of the living 
God ; it is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.' 
Oh that he may go on ' conquering and to conquer,' until he 
has subdued all things to himself! This is, and shall be the 
unfeigned desire and prayer of, 

Walter Ker, \ William Iver 

Robert Cummins, I _ Samuel Ker, 
David Rhe, f £ Samuel Craig, ( § 

John Henderson, ( g ( U 

John Anderson, 
Joseph Ker, 

Presbyterian Church, Freehold, Aug. 16, 1746." (Ed- 
wards p. 364 & 366). 

David Brainerd died Oct. 9, 1747, about four years before 
the present Tennent church was built. 

One of the sore trials and deep sorrows of Mr. Tennent's 
life was the waywardness of heart and the early death of his 
youngest son, Gilbert. This son grew up to manhood years, 
was married, and began the practice of medicine. But he 
was very worldly. His father importunately prayed for his 
conversion. While engaged in his medical duties the son 
contracted a mortal fever. In the midst of its ra^imxs he was 
overwhelmingly convicted of sin ; but finally he obtained 
peace in the Saviour, and calling for his old companions in 



48 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEKT. 



sin, he solemnly exhorted them to repent. After a few days 
more of great suffering he died, twenty-eight years of age ; 
and there being no minister near by, the father preached the 
funeral sermon with impressive power. The grave of this 
young man with its inscribed tombstone may be seen a few 
yards distant from the front door of the church. It reads thus : 

' ' Here lies the mortal Part of 

GILBERT TENNENT. 

In the practice of Physick he was 

Successful and beloved. 

Young Gay and in the highest Bloom 

of Life, Death found him Hopefully in the Lord. 

But O Reader, had you heard his last 

Testimony, 3'ou would have been convinced 

of the extreme Madness of delaying Repentance. 

Natus April 1742. Obiit March 6, 1770." 

The spirit and the conduct of Mr. Tennent during this sad 
affliction show him to have been a truly good and great man, 
more perhaps than any other experience that is related of his 
life. Mr. Tennent's salary, it is thought, was possibly less 
than £100. But he lived on the parsonage farm ; and " the 
glebe belonging to the church was an excellent plantation," 
capable of yielding a comfortable support to his family. To 
this place he brought his wife, whom he had wooed in an 
abrubt and unceremonious manner, and had married after an 
acquaintance of about one week. Her name was Mrs. Catha- 
rine ]N"oble, a widow ; and the date of their marriage was 
August 23, 1738, about five "years after Mr. Tennent's ordi- 
nation. 



THE OLD PARSONAGE. 

Some few months after Mr. Tennent's settlement in the 
congregation steps were taken to procure a permanent home 
for the pastor. We find in the early records that " Thursday 
February 13th, 1734 the Congregation Met at White Hill 
Meeting House and Chose, Archibald Craig & Jonathan For- 
man Esqrs. and David Rhe and Robert Gumming to Pur- 



THE OLD PARSONAGE. 



49 



ehasa a Farm for Our Minister to Live on and to Have it 
Secured for a Ministers place, or a Parsonage to Continue for 
the use of the Presbyterian Congregation forever." The 
record proceeds as follows : " Second Tuesday in March 
1734-5 at the Town Meeting the Above Messrs. Craig, For- 
man. Rhe & Camming Made Report that they in Xame'of the 




The Old Teunent Parsouage. 

Congregation had purehassed the Plantation Lying Between 
Spotswoods Middle and South Brooks from William Cowen- 
hoven Son of Peter for -500.- A certain William Smith, 
lawyer m New York, was consulted as to the strongest and 
satest methods for holding this parsonage farm in continual 

4 



50 



HISTOR Y OF OLD TEKCTENT. 



possession of the church, according to the original design in 
its purchase ; and to this end careful measures were devised 
and adopted. All this was done, first, because evidently there 
was no board of trustees legally appointed for the church at 
this time that could hold and convey property ; and second, 
because the congregation desired that the plantation should 
always be held in possession by the church alone, and be clear 
of all claims of interest therein or ownership thereof by any 
others. The farm embraced " All that tract of Land Scituate 
Lying and being in the County of Monmouth aforesaid be- 
twixt Spotswoods Middle Brook and his South Brook Sup- 
posed to Contain One Hundred and Fifty Acres be the same 
more or less." The land in this farm was reasonably fertile. 
A paper, still preserved, states the conditions under which 
this farm was rented in 1777, after Mr. Tennent's death, dur- 
ing the interim of pastors; from which it appears that Indian 
corn, wheat, oats and flax were the principal products at that 
time, and as such they prove the strength of the soil. . 

The parsonage house was situated about a mile and a half 
by carriage road southeast from the present church building, 
and is described in Franklin Ellis' History of Monmouth 
County, page 686, as " a low building, large on the ground, 
with four lower rooms — two on each side of the hall — with 
kitchen attached in the rear. Above was the attic room, 
sloping on one side with the rafters, and with a window facing 
the north, which, as is said, was used as a study by both Mr. 
Tennent and Mr. Woodhull. During the battle of June 28, 
1778, a round shot came through the roof into this room while 
the conflict raged furiously around the house and in the ad- 
joining orchard." It is commonly alleged that the house on 
this parsonage farm was erected in 1706. Probably an addi- 
tion was made to this house during the pastorate of Dr. 
Woodhull, since a record, dated 1795, shows that a committee 
appointed to look after the repairs of the parsonage buildings, 
decided that the building of a new part was advisable, " to 
the advantage of the Congregation and the Comfort of Mr. 
Woodhull." 



THE OLD PARSONAGE. 



51 



In this parsonage home William Tennent lived for about 
forty years. Here his wife proved herself an able and skilful 
manager, for " She took the eare of his temporal concerns 
upon her, extricated him from debt, and by a happy union of 
prudence and economy, so managed all his wordly business 
that in a few years his circumstances became easy and com- 
fortable. Besides several children who died in infancy, he 
had by her three sons who attained the age of manhood; 
John, William, and Gilbert." 

To this house came Christian Indians for religious conver- 
sation with Mr. Tennent. Here Whiten* eld was a guest on 
more than one occasion, and held fellowship with the godly 
pastor of old Freehold. To this parsonage David Brainerd 
was wont to come during his short and toilsome ministry. 
Here William Tennent also entertained John Brainerd, some- 
times over night, and comforted him "in his sadness and 
depression." In this house also it appears, from the diary of 
John Brainerd, that Mr. Tennent entertained Governor 
Belcher and his wife in October, 1749. 

In this old parsonage Dr. Woodhull also lived for more 
than two score years. Rev. D. V. McLean was the last pastor 
that occupied it, although his predecessor, Rev. Robert Roy, 
had not made it his home. Many and impressive sermons 
were prepared under its roof, and many a night it sheltered 
some of those who were or afterwards came to be active and 
efficient ministers in the Presbyterian Church in America. It 
was a silent witness to the struggle on Monmouth's field, and 
hard by its doors the brave English Colonel Henry Monckton 
fell mortally wounded. In the fields around, and even under 
its very windows, musket and cannon balls have been picked 
up during the years since. 

Despite the efforts of the congregation to preserve this par- 
sonage farm in perpetual possession, it appears that it was sold 
in just about one hundred years after its purchase, for a church 
record tells us that "William T. Sutphin, being the highest 
bidder, the farm was struck off' to him at the sum of Nine 
Thousand, nine hundred dollars." This was dated March, 1835. 



52 



IITSTORY. OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



Thus was made a break in the historical connections of the 
temporal possessions of the old church, which never can be 
replaced, since the old parsonage was more venerable than the 
old church building itself. For some years this old house 
stood empty, a sorrowful reminder of men that were buried 
and of things that were past. It gradually fell into decay and 
became lamentably dilapidated, partly by the ravages of time, 
and partly by the hands of relic seekers, Avho frequently 
stopped off the railroad trains, which ran close by, and carried 
away memento pieces. Finally, about 1861, the old building 
was taken down. 




The Old Tenneut Parsonage in dilapidated state. 



John Brainerd writes in his journal, " Tuesday, Aug. 22, 
1749. — Attended religious duties, and after some time took 
leave of Dr. Le Count and his spouse, and rode about three 
miles to a medicinal spring, where were a number of my peo- 
ple, who came there to drink the waters; with these I spent 
considerable time in conversation and prayer. Took leave of 
them and went to several houses in Freehold, where I had 
business, and in the evening came to Mr. Tennent's ; after 
some conversation with him attended to religious duties and 
went to rest." The name of Dr. Peter Laconte appears in the 
early church records as a communicant in 1744 ; and again 
the same name is put for the owner of pew Xo. 7 in the gal- 
lery of the church, and purchased in 1754 for £8. Also in the 
baptismal records occur five names of children of Dr. Peter 



THE BATTLE OF MOXMOUTH. 



53 



La Conte. Doubtless this is the same person of whom John 
Brainercl speaks, and whom Brainerd's biographer calls, " a 
pious parishioner of Tennent's." The medicinal spring here 
mentioned may possibly be the one on the farm on which 
Forman Stillwell lived before his death, 1894, and about three 
miles from the Old Tennent church. 



THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH, 

(or battle of moxmouth court house). 
Juxe 28, 1778. 

Much historic interest is added to the Old Tennent church 
through its connection with the famous field of Monmouth. 
The battle was fought a little over a mile to the southeast of 
the sanctuary. Only a brief outline of the combat can here 
be given, the facts and figures being mostly based on a paper 
read by Charles King, Esq., before the Xew Jersey Historical 
Society, at Freehold Sept. 13, 1849. The date of the battle 
was June 28, 1778, on a Sunday afternoon. Old Tennent was 
at that time without a pastor ; and yet there could scarcely 
have been any service in the church on that morning because 
of the excitement of troops passing by, and because so many 
of the families in the neighborhood had evidently gone into 
the woods to hide. Gen. George Washington commanded 
the Americans, and Sir Henry Clinton the British. The 
Americans had passed the winter at Valley Forge, Pa., with 
all its rigorous experience ; while the British had been com- 
fortably quartered in Philadelphia. The British left Phila- 
delphia about the first of June to pass through isew Jersey to 
Xew York, and went by a route through Moorestown, Mt. 
Holly, and Allentown. Washington, though some of his staff 
counselled the opposite, was desirous to attack the enemy 
before they should reach New York. Accordingly he broke 
camp at Valley Forge, set his army on the march, crossed the 
Delaware at Lambertville, and came on through Kingston, X". 



54 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



J. The Americans had about 11,000 men, while the British 
had about 10,000, but these were better appointed for war. 
Gen. Clinton moved on his way and took a strong position at 
Freehold town. Gen. Washington came on through Cran- 
bury, and afterwards through Englishtown. Washington had 
sent on in advance of his army several detachments of troops 
at different times to harrass the British army. All of these 
detachments were finally commanded by Gen. Charles Lee, 
sent forward with instructions to arrange au attack. Accord- 
ingly Gen. Lee fell upon the British at Freehold in the fore- 
noon of June 28. But for some seemingly unexplained rea- 
son after only a little fighting the Americans fell back in con- 
fused retreat along the road toward Englishtown, which at 
that day passed within about one hundred yards of the church 
door. Washington was meanwhile hurrying forward to the 
field, and met the retreating regiments about a mile southeast 
-of the meeting house. Considerably disappointed and exas- 
perated, he quickly reformed these retreating regiments, facing 
them about to meet the pursuing enemy; and riding back to 
his main army he hurried them forward to the field of battle, 
and the engagement became general. The struggle took place 
near to the old parsonage, and over a little brook with a morass 
running right across the battle field. The Americans fought 
bravely, never more persistently, again and again repulsing 
the repeated charges of the enemy. When night came the 
advantage was decidedly with Gen. Washington. He deter- 
mined to renew the strife on the next morning, the armies 
bavins; o'one to rest close by each other in the evening. 

Washington, wrapped in his cloak, laid himself to rest 
among his soldiers." But during the night Sir Henry Clin- 
ton with his army stole away from the battlefield, and by 
morning light was well on his way towards the rising ground 
of the Navesink Hills. Thither Gen. Washington could not 
follow him to renew the attack, for just at that time Lord 
Howe with a fleet had arrived off the Hook and the two forces 
of the British were combined. The sudden, silent, and un- 
usual retirement of the British from the battlefield made 



THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH. 



55 



Washington's victory more pronounced. Monmouth was one 
of the memorable battles of the revolution, and strengthened 
and encouraged the colonies in their struggle for independ- 
ence. In it Gen. Washington was unusually exposed to the 
enemy's fire in his endeavors to inspirit his soldiers; and also 
in this battle most of the prominent officers of the American 
army were engaged. A long list of names is preserved of the 
men of Monmouth County who at this time fought for their 
liberty and their homes. The day of the battle was exceed- 
ingly hot, so that many soldiers died of the effects of heat. 
The Americans lost 8 officers and 61 privates killed, and 161 
privates wounded. The British lost 4 officers and L>45 privates 
killed, beside a considerable number of officers and privates 
.wounded. Dead British soldiers were buried on the battle- 
field, and probably also some of the Americans. The house 
of William Ker near by the Old Tennent church was one of 
the places used as a hospital at the time of the battle. This 
house is no longer standing. 

Ancestral tales and traditions are still told that relate to the 
church and its people in connection with the battle, and with 
a good degree of authenticity. It is a current tradition that 
musket balls and possibly cannon balls pierced the sides of the 
church during the battle. Whatever breakings were thus 
made in the inclosure have long since been repaired by other 
shingles being inserted. It is also a much repeated tradition 
(and most probably a true one), that during the battle an 
American soldier, possibly fatigued with the heat, was sitting 
on the headstone of a grave a few feet to the southwest from 
the church, when he was struck by a cannon ball and badly 
wounded, and the headstone broken off. He was carried into 
the church and laid in the third pew from the door in the west 
aisle. Here his blood dripped out, and he died. The blood 
stains from his wounds can still be seen on the board seat; 
and before the graining of the pews was put on, the marks ot 
the bloody hands of this dying soldier were visible on the 
book-rest of the pew in which he died, and on that also in the 
pew behind. The head-stone of the grave is now gone, 



56 



HISTORY OF OLD TEOTENT. 



though a part still remains underground, and the foot-stone is 
also standing. The grave was that of Sarah Mattison, buried 
in 1774. 

It is an ancestral tradition that in September following the 
battle, Samuel Craig with his brother was cutting buckwheat 
on his farm about a half mile to the west of the church. Hear- 
ing their dogs barking excitedly in the woods they went over 
to investigate the cause, and found, leaning against a tree and 
supported by a thick growth of briers, the dead body of a 
Hessian with his musket standing by him. It was supposed 
that he had been wounded in the battle and strayed away in 
the woods ; or had lost his way, and being overcome with the 
excessive heat had drunk profusely of water in the brook near 
by, and thus had died, a sad and lonely specimen of the dread- 
ful events of war. 

Lt. Col. Henry Monckton, a gallant and able officer com- 
manding the second battalion British Grenadiers, was killed 
in the battle. The Americans took possession of his body 
and buried it a few feet from the southwest corner of the 
church. A half century or more later William R. Wilson, a 
native of Scotland, and a school master in Monmouth county, 
set up a board over Col. Monckton's grave with an inscription 
thereon beginning with the Latin words " Hie jacet." Some 
years after this Samuel Fryer, a marble dealer of Hightstown, 
!N7 J., erected a marble headstone with a suitable inscription, 
in the place of the board slab. Over this grave on Decoration 
Day a British flag is placed by the detail from the Grand 
Army of the Republic Post, while the Stars and Stripes are 
set over many graves around it. 

May 12, 1874, R. Perrine Craig, sexton of the cemetery, in 
digging a grave came upon three skeletons of human bodies. 
One apparently had an arm bone broken, or the arm amputa- 
ted. The bodies had evidently been buried together, and 
there were no signs of there being any coffin. These were 
supposed to have been soldiers that possibly had died in the 
church, which was used to some extent as a hospital at the 



THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH. 



57 



time of the battle. Three flags are placed across each other 
over this grave on Decoration Day. 

In reciting the stor} T of this battle the tradition concerning 
Mollie Pitcher is frequently told, the brave and loyal woman 
who kindly carried water to the wounded soldiers until, her 
husband being killed at the guns, she took his place and as- 
sisted in loading and firing the cannon in the midst of the 
strife. She is spoken of as the " heroine of Monmouth." 




Monmouth Battle Monument. 

A monument commemorative of this historic battle has 
been erected in Freehold (town); and was unveiled with ap- 
propriate ceremonies Nov. 13, 1884. The funds for this mon- 
ument were started by an Association organized in its interest 
in 1878, which raised $10,000. To this sum the State Legis- 
lature added $10,000, and Congress contributed $20,000. The 
monument is built of Quinc}- and Concord granite, and stands 
nearly one hundred feet high. On the top is placed a large 
granite statue, styled " Liberty Triumphant." Around the 
base are five magnificent bronze tablets, bas-reliefs of thrilling 
scenes in the battle and previous to it. 



58 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



CHAPTER VII. 

REV. JOHN WOODHULL, D.D. 

1779—1824. 

To secure and settle a suitable successor to such a man 
as the Rev. William Tennent, Jr., and to such a pastor- 
ate as his had been in such a large and respectable congrega- 
tion as Freehold, was no insignificant matter for the church to 
undertake. The people, it seemed, would have another Ten- 
nent, for they immediately turned their attention to Rev. Wil- 
liam McKay Tennent, then in New England, to become their 
settled minister. But evidently he did not become their min- 
ister, since both in the April and October meetings of New 
Brunswick Presbytery during that year, 1777, different sup- 
plies were appointed for Freehold. However, after an interim 
of pastors of about two years, Providence graciously guided 
the church to the selection of a man that was in everj^ respect 
worthy and capable of being a succeeding pastor to the cele- 
brated William Tennent. This was the* Rev. John Woodhull. 
called to the church in 1778. The exact date of his settlement 
is not given in the minutes of Presbytery (New Brunswick). 
The following is given in reference to the call ; and also, it 
serves to show how important and inlluential the Presbytery 
considered the Freehold congregation at that time : " A Pe- 
tition was brought in from the Con^n. of Freehold for leave 
to prosecute a Call before the New Castle Pby in favour of 
the Rev. John Woodhull one of their Members. The Pby 
chearfully grant the prayer of the petition & do earnestly 
recommend the aforesaid Congregation to the notice of the 
Pby of New Castle and of Mr. Woodhull in particular as an 
important branch of the Church of Christ where a faithful 
Minister of the Gospel will have as fair a prospect of useful- 




REV. JOHN WOODHIXL. D.D. 



(From a photograph of a portrait painted by Thomas Sully, of Philadelphia, 
in 1822, when Dr. Woodhull was 78 years of age.) 



KEY. JOHN WOODHULL, D.D. 



59 



ness & comfort as in any vacancy within our knowledge." 
This was Oct. 20, 1778. At " Allenston August 4, 1779 " the 
minutes read : " The Kev. John Woodhull a Member of N. 
Castle Pby being present was desired to sit as Correspondent 
& he took his seat accordingly." A note is made between the 
records of two meetings, thus : " N. B. The Presbyy met at 
Bedminster (Lamington) according to adjournment" (namely, 
4th Tuesday in April, 1780), " but the Minutes of it are lost. 
It was opened by Mr. Woodhull. * * * * Mr. John 
Woodhull late from the Pbyy. of New Castle haveing accepted 
the Call from Freehold joined the Presbytery." Mr. Wood- 
hull began preaching in Freehold doubtless sometime during 
the year 1779. His tombstone reads that he "in 1779 re- 
moved to this congregation, which he served with great dili- 
gence and success for 45 years." 

Those who have written sketches of his life and estimates of 
his character and worth, present the following facts : He was 
born at Miller's Place, in the County of Suffolk, Long 
Island, January 26, 1744, descended from illustrious 
ancestors. whose genealogical line is traced back to the time 
of the Norman Conquest, 1070, He graduated from Prince- 
ton College in 1766, having taken the full four years' course 
of study. While in college he made his profession of faith in 
Christ, passing through a profound spiritual experience. His 
theological studies were pursued under the care of Kev. John 
Blair, at Fagg's Manor, Pa. As a young preacher he was 
accepted with more than usual popularity. Several calls from, 
churches were tendered him, but duty led him to answer the 
call from the Leacock congregation, Lancaster Co., Pa., 
where he w r as ordained and installed August 1, 1770. From 
there he came to Old Tennent, in w T hose pastorate he con- 
tinued uninterruptedly for forty-five years, until his death. 

In physical health Dr. Woodhull was vigorous, seldom 
being laid aside from his labors through sickness. In this he 
exercised judicious care as is apparent from a letterhead- 
dressed to his session and congregation explaining his absence 
from his pulpit on a certain Sunday. He was troubled with a 



60 



HISTORY OF OLD TENtfENT. 



distress in his ear that badly affected his hearing: but he had 
gained some relief, and so he wrote : " I am not sick — and 
have hesitated much about going to Church this day — but 
concluded on the whole that in a case so delicate which in- 
volved my future comfort and usefulness, it was best to run 
no risk." lie concluded his note by saying, "Let sermon be 
appointed at 12 o'clock next Sabbath. — I hope to be with you. 
Pray for me, that my hearing may be so restored as not to 
prevent my usefulness." 

One of his acquaintances describes him as having u the ad- 
vantage of most men in his personal appearance. He had a 
tine, tall, well proportioned frame, and his motions were easy 
and graceful. His countenance was expressive of vigour and 
intelligence, as well as honesty and strength of purpose. His 
manners were free and agreeable, but never lacking in dignity. 
He had line powers of conversation, and could accommodate 
himself with great facility to any circle into which he might 
be thrown. You could not have been in his company, with- 
out feeling that 3-ou were in the presence of a well bred gen- 
tleman of the old school." (Sprague, Yol. III). 

Like William Tennent, Jr., he was a member of the Board 
of Trustees of the College of New Jersey at Princeton. In 
1798 Yale College conferred on him the honorary degree of 
Doctor of Divinity. Of him his son wrote : " The same year 
of his settlement (1779) he built an house on an acre of ground 
leased of the congregation for the purpose ef establishing a 
school." From this grammar school went out many young 
men to usefulness in life, and some to positions of great honor 
and distinction. He was also an instructor of young men in 
their studies for 'the gospel ministry, until the opening of the 
Princeton Theological Seminary in 1812, when he would no 
longer perform such service. 

In 1772, seven years before Dr. Woodhull came to Old Ten- 
nent, he married Sarah Spafford, of Philadelphia, a step- 
daughter of the Rev. Gilbert Tennent, an excellent woman, 
with whom he lived to pass beyond the golden anniversary of 
their marriage. 



KEY. JOHN WOODIIULL, D.D. 



61 



Dr. Woodhull was a popular and useful preacher, and his 
sermons abounded in scriptural references. For the word of 
God he had a true reverence, and in the interest of its circu- 
lation he was one of the founders of the Monmouth County 
Bible Society. In ecclesiastical bodies he was highly respected 
for his skill and judgment. He was the Stated Clerk of the 
Presbytery of New Brunswick from October, 1781 to April, 
1801. In May, 1791, he was chosen Moderator of the General 
Assembly, and the following year he opened the Assembly 
with a sermon from IE. Tim. 4:1, 2. This respect and these 
positions in the church courts, together with the high regard 
for his estimable character, combined to give him a wide and 
strong influence in the church and in society. In connection 
with the above facts it may be said here that Col. John 
Covenhoven, Dr. Woodh all's elder, attended the meeting of 
the General Assembly in 1796, and possibly in 1795 also, as a 
regularly appointed commissioner. He was thus probably the 
first of all the Freehold elders to be a commissioner to the 
highest court of the church. 

There were no Sunday-schools in the congregation during 
Dr. WoodhnlPs pastorate. But he had a watchful eye to the 
religious welfare of the youth. Evidently he faithfully and 
effectually expounded the doctrine of infant baptism, as ap- 
pears from the following list of infant baptisms for seven con- 
secutive years :— 33 in 1803, 32 in 1804, 39 in 1805, 45 in 1806, 
62 in 1807, 58 in 1808, 48 in 1809, or 317 in seven years; and 
the communicants in the church at this time numbered from 
250 to 300. This gave good promise of future ingatherings. 
It was the custom of Dr. Woodhull also to catechize the chil- 
dren of his charge two times a year; and in cases where they 
had been studied he asked for the scriptural references as 
proofs to the catechism answers. He was fond of the young: 
people, and they of him, so that a happy memory remained 
concerning him long after his death, among those who had 
seen and known him personally. 

In his temporal and financial affairs Dr. Woodhull was 
shrewd and careful. He possessed fine business qualifications. 



62 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



It is said of him that he became very wealthy, and it is thought 
that he owned about 50,000 acres of land in different localities 
in New Jersey, Mississippi, Tennessee and Maryland. It is 
told of him that when his only daughter, Sarah, was married, 
he gave her a dower of $80,000. 

Dr. Woodhull was an ardent and loyal patriot. At the 
beginning of the war of the Revolution he entered the field as 
chaplain. Historian Lossing says of him that he took from 
his Leacock congregation every man that could bear arms. 
Col. William C. Alexander says that Dr. Woodhull was in the 
battle of Monmouth. Certainly in after years his social con- 
versation abounded in interesting reminiscences of the mem- 
orable war for Independence. Among the church papers is a 
fine specimen (copied) of Dr. Woodhull's sermons ; it is a 
patriotic discourse delivered on a Thanksgiving Day, No- 
vember, 1789. 

Dr. Woodhull's end came suddenly, Nov. 22, 1824, in the 
81st year of his age. On the occasion of his funeral, Nov. 
25, 1824, the Rev. Isaac Y. Brown preached a sermon from 
the text Rev. 2 : 10, which was requested for publication by 
the session, through Nathaniel S. Rue, clerk, and printed in 
pamphlet form. A large procession attended his body to the 
grave, which lies about fifty feet to the south of the middle 
door of the church, and is surmounted by a marble monument. 

As is frequently the case in regard to a minister of such a 
long pastorate, so concerning Dr. Woodhull, folk-lore and tra- 
ditions exist. An amusing story is told of him in connection 
with the superstition of some that Old Tennent cemetery was 
haunted. An ancestral tale is told of him that in his later 
years he once sat on a table in a house while he preached a 
funeral sermon, presumably because he was feeble, and because 
sitting on a table would enable him to see the people better 
than sitting down in a chair. His text on this occasion was 
Heb. 4:9/ 

SEPARATE INCORPORATION. 

In 1785 steps were taken to have the church incorporated 
separately from the Upper Freehold (Allentown) and Shrews- 



KEY. JOHN WOODHULL, D.D. 



63 



bury churches, and under the government of the State. Prob- 
ably Di\ "Woodhull was one of the chief movers in this matter. 
On Wednesday, April 6, 1785, the members of the session and 
the congregation met, and after electing Gen. David Forman 
as trustee for the church in the room of Robert Rhea deceased, 
they decided to petition the Legislature for a " separate Act 
of Incorporation," and requested and appointed Dr. Wood- 
hull to notify the other congregations, and engaged Thomas 
Henderson, M. D., to draw up the petition to the Legislature. 
August 7, 1786, the congregation met and elected the follow- 
ing trustees: Jacob Wickoff, Thomas Henderson, M. D., 
David Forman (son of Jonathan), Kenath Anderson, Jr., Gen. 
David Forman, Col. John Covenhoven, and John A. Scudder, 
M. D. Then on March 13, 1787, these seven trustees sub- 
scribed themselves under the new corporate title " The Trus- 
tees of the first Presbyterian Congregation in Freehold in the 
County of Monmouth.' 7 The form of their Trustees' oath was : 

' ' We the Subscribers do solemnly profess 
and swear that we do not hold our- 
selves bound to bear Allegiance to the 
King- of Great Britain. 
So help us God. 

We the Subscribers do solemnly profess 
and swear that we do and will bear 
true Faith and Allegiance to the 
Government of this State as established 
under authority of the people. 
So help us God. 

We the Subscribers do solemnly profess 
and swear that we will execute the trust 
reposed in us, as Trustees of the first 
Presbyterian Congregation in Freehold, 
during our continuance in office with 
Fidelity and to the best of our Understandings. 
So help us God." 

Six of the trustees took oath before Thomas Henderson, M. 
D., Justice of the Peace ; and Thomas Henderson took oath 
before John Covenhoven, Justice. The seal after the auto- 



64 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



graph of these seven trustees subscribing under their new title, 
is a device of two birds standing face to face under what 
appears to be a leaf. 

More than seventy years later this corporate name was 
changed again, by an act passed by the Legislature of the 
State of Xew Jersey, and approved by the Governor March 
16, 1859, to the name " The First Presbyterian Church of the 
County of Monmouth.'' This act was not to take effect until 
it had been submitted to the congregation and approved by 
them, and a certificate thereof, signed by the President of the 
Board of Trustees, should be filed in the office of the Secre- 
tary of the State of Xew Jersey. It was approved almost 
unanimously by the congregation. But the certificate, 
through some inadvertence, Avas not filed until several years 
afterwards, when through a business transaction arising in 
connection with some money to be transferred to the church 
the neglect was discovered, and the need of its remedy made 
apparent. Report was then made to the legal authorities and 
the corporate title of the church was recorded ; and also, all 
deeds given by the trustees under this name since 1859 were 
made true and effectual. This was completed in 1882, and 
thus the above named title is the present legal name of Old 
Tennent, viz.: 

"The First Presbyterian Church oft the County of Monmouth." 



REV. JOB FOSTER HALSEY, D.D. 65 



CHAPTER VIII. 

REV. JOB FOSTER HALSEY, D.D. 

1826—1828. 

After the death of Dr. Woodhull, a year and a half elapsed 
before the congregation again had a settled pastor ; when a 
call was given to Job Foster Halsey, a young man twenty-six 
years of age, and lately from his studies in Princeton Semi- 
nary. The salary promised in the call was $700 annually. 
Mr. Halsey, young in years and experience, was a contrast to 
the preceding pastor ; but during his short ministry in Ten- 
nent he proved himself an earnest and energetic successor to 
the old and able servant of the church. 

He was born at Schenectady, K Y., July 12, 1800. His 
parents names were Luther and Abigail. At nineteen years 
of age he was converted ; and the same year, 1819, he gradu- 
ated from Union College in the town of his birth. In 1820 
he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of North River. 
He entered Princeton Theological Seminary in 1823, where 
lie studied for three years. June 14, 1826, he was ordained 
by the Presbytery of New Brunswick in session in the Old 
Tennent Church, and installed its pastor. In December of 
that year he was married to Elizabeth Parker Brinley. His 
pastorate was one of the shortest in Old Tennent's list, contin- 
uing for one year and nine months, when it closed March 
5, 1828. 

Afterwards he served in important positions as a teacher, 
and also as a pastor in different churches. The degree of 
Doctor of Divinity was conferred upon him by Lafayette Col- 
lege, 1860. He died March 24, 1882, at ISTorristown, Penna., 
having survived his generation. 

When Mr. Halsey became pastor at Tennent there were two 
hundred and five names on the communicant roll of the 



66 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



church. Among the oldest members at that time were Eliza- 
beth English, who had been a communicant since 1767, and 
Eleanor C. Forman since 1776. 

During his pastorate ninety-two members were added to the 
communion, forty of these joining on one occasion. This 
manifested a healthy activity in spiritual things in the church, 
and gave evidence of the faithful sowing of seed by Dr. Wood- 
hull, as well as of zealous effort on the part of the young 
pastor Halsey. 

A seminary student (J. W. M.), from Princeton visited Mr. 
Halsey in the summer of 1827, and many years afterwards 
wrote of him thus : " He was in the habit of keeping his 
pockets tilled with verses of Scripture, which were printed on 
blue pasteboard in that day, for Sabbath-schools, and distrib- 
uting single verses to people whom he met. He called them 
' small shot ' — good for driving away black-birds." 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS. 

About the year 1827 a Sunday-school was started in the 
church, and Mrs. Halsey, wife of the pastor, was its first su- 
perintendent. This was the beginning of a branch of church 
work that has proved of inestimable benefit to Old Tennent 
down to the present time. Those who have served as super- 
intendents of the Sunday-school in the church are : 

Mrs. Job F. Halsey, Joseph Combs, 

Nathaniel S. Rue, Elijah Reid, 

William G. Denise, Luther D. Bugbee, 

James Rue, William II. Reid, 

R. Perrine Craig, George L. DuBois. 

The Sunday-school services were conducted at first in the 
old Session House on Sunday afternoon. Afterwards they 
were held on Sunday morning in the new Session House. 
And finally it became the custom to convene the Sunday- 
school in the church building in connection with mornim? 
sanctuary service. 



REV. JOB FOSTER HALSEY, D.D. 67 



For many years it had been the custom to hold two services 
in the church on Sunday, with about a half hour intermission 
for the partaking of some refreshments. As late as 1819 the 
congregation decided to hold two services on Sunday from the 
middle of April to the middle of September, and only one ser- 
mon on each Sunday throughout the remainder of the year 
" except on sacramental occasions." 

This practice of having two, sermons and services close to- 
gether was well suited to the conditions of a newly settled 
country, where church privileges were rare, and some of the 
people driving many miles to and from service. It was not 
specially needed in long settled communities, and it had its 
disadvantages in more ways than one. Every age suits itself 
to convenient and advantageous progress ; and thus this prac- 
tice of holding two services near together was finally aban- 
doned in the churches. But it was not because of a disposition 
to lessen labor on the part of the pastor nor attendance on the 
part of the people, for since this change sanctuary services 
have tended rather to increase in number than to diminish. 

About the time of Dr. Woodhull's death this old custom 
was discontinued in Tennent church. It was possible that 
this change was made when Mr. Halsey became pastor ; 
or certainly so during Mr. Roy's ministry. 

PERRINEVILLE CHURCH. 

The old New Brunswick Presbytery appears to have been 
watchful of promising places for the establishing of churches, 
and of supplying destitute districts with the means of grace. 
An interesting item occurs in its records under date April 28, 
1802: " The committee appointed to enquire into the State 
of the frontier Settlements Reported that there is a considera- 
ble extent of country on the Sea coast, between 80 & an 100 
miles in length & about 20 in breadth very destitute of the 
means of grace : There are some villages considerably inhab- 
ited & tolerably productive, but generally the country is of a 
thin Soil & thinly inhabited. Their religious instruction hath 
been chiefly from the Methodists, who we believe have been 



68 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



useful among them." Obviously this refers to the southeast- 
ern portions of New Jersey. 

Perrineville was an outstation of the older churches that 
early became an important point. Preaching services were 
conducted here possibly as early as 1777. Rev. John Wood- 
hull manifested special interest in this work, and secured reg- 
ular preaching at Perrineville by Rev. Joseph Clark, who had 
been a theological student under his care, and in 1784 was or- 
dained as an evangelist. Mr. Clark became pastor at Allen- 
town June, 1788, having preached there regularly for a con- 
siderable time previous. After this there was an arrange- 
ment by which Perrineville was regularly supplied with preach- 
ing by the pastors of Tennent, Cranbury, and Allentown. 
This continued until 1826, when on June 5, of that year, the 
Perrineville church was organized, Rev. Symmes C. Heu re- 
acting as the committee. There were thirteen original mem- 
bers. The church took the name of " The Second Presbyter- 
ian Church of Upper Freehold.'' This name was changed by 
an act of the Legislature in 1847 to the name "The First 
Church of Millstone."' Rev. William Henry Woodhull, 
grandson of Rev. Dr. John Woodhull, was the first pastor at 
Perrineville, being installed there Sep. 6, 1826, and continu- 
ing in the office for more than five years. 



HEY. ROBERT ROY. 



69 



CHAPTER IX. 

REV. ROBERT ROY. 

1829—1832. 

After Mr. Halsey left the congregation there was another 
long period without a settled pastor. And yet souls were 
added to the church. Twenty-two united with the commun- 
ion, in the autumn of 1828. It is possible that some minister 
was serving the church more or less statedly at this time. 

Feb. 18, 1829, the Rev. Robert Roy was installed pastor, the 
congregation having previously extended to him a call prom- 
ising an annual compensation of $700. He entered Princeton 
Theological Seminary in 1820 and studied there for three 
years. Afterwards for a time he was a missionary in Ya. 
He came from the Presbytery of Hudson to the New Bruns- 
wick Presbyteiw. 

In 1829 Mr. Roy purchased nine and a half acres of ground 
from Joseph II. Sutfen(et al), which is the same plot of 
ground on which Mrs. A. P. Cobb's house now stands. On 
this he built a home at his own charges, and here he lived 
during his ministry. Here also he died. After his death this 
was the home of his widow for many years. 

Mr. Roy was not of robust health. Within two years after 
his settlement he. made a journey to the South, seeking repair 
of his throat and lungs. From St. Augustine, Jan. 1831, he 
wrote a letter to his elders in the session of Old Tennent, ad- 
dressing it to John Baird,one of the oldest elders at that time. 
This letter ( still preserved) is full of expressions of interest 
and attachment to his charge. On his return he endeavored 
to preach, but it was with a w^eak voice, which was not much 
above a whisper during the last of his pulpit services. He 
died at his home March 15, 1832. Rev. Dr. Archibald Alex- 
ander preached the sermon at his funeral, and he was buried 



70 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



a few feet from the door of the church, being the fifth pastor 
laid to rest in the grave-yards of Old Tennent. Mr. Roy was 
a very sociable man, exceedingly pleasant in conversation and 
company, and kind to all. He was very much liked by the 
people of his charge, and left a happy memory among them. 

HOWEL CHURCH. 

While Mr. Boy was pastor, a Presbyterian church was 
formed atHowel, N. J., which may be considered as an off- 
shoot from Old Tennent. The organization took place Isov. 
1, 1831, and was effected by Rev. Eli F. Cooley, pastor of the 
First Church at Trenton N. J., the Rev. Robert Roy also be- 
ing present. There were eight original members, three of 
whom came by certificate from Tennent church. These were 
Amos Shaw and his wife Caroline, and Thomas Gulick, all now 
buried in Old Tennent cemetery. The other five members 
came by profession of faith. Amos Shaw and Thomas Gu- 
lick were elected and ordained ruling elders. This church 
existed about seven years, and then was dissolved by an act of 
Presbytery, and its members were directed to unite with the 
church in Freehold village, which they accordingly did, April, 
1839. Yet preaching services were held at this place for 
some time afterwards, since as late as 1848 personal notes, 
made by Amos Shaw, record the fact that Revs. J. F. 
Halsey, L. H. VanDoren, and D. V. McLean preached there 
at intervals during that year. 

STOVES IN THE CHURCH. 

In the comforts and conveniences of the sanctuary services 
for the early worshipers in Old Tennent, necessity was a law 
as regarded some things ; so also was stern and rugged con- 
science. The latter of these was possibly the reason that no 
stoves were used in the church for many years, neither was 
there any fireplace. But this was in accordance with the cus- 
tom and opinion of the times, as some church people of those 
early clays thought that the introduction of stoves into church- 
es was " an invention of Satan." The Old Tennent building, 



REV. ROBERT ROY. 



71 



in its erection, could easily have been arranged to be heated, 
or fitted up for this sooner than it was. It has been said that 
the Tennent fathers of those days gave as their reason for not 
having any fire in the church, that they had determined not 
to be lukewarm, but to be either cold or hot. This may ap- 
pear somewhat facetious, and yet nevertheless it suggests the 
existence of a rugged sense of self-sacrifice in religion. 

For sometime it was the custom for the women worshipers 
to keep themselves warm by means of a " foot warmer," 
which was a tin-lined box with a pan of live-coals in it, cover- 
ed over with some ashes. 

Stoves were introduced into Tennent church somewhere 
about 1800, and even then some of the church members were 
opposed to their being put in. It is known by the records 
that they were in the church by 1815. They stood in the aisle 
that runs the whole length of the church ; one near to the 
juncture of this aisle with that running north and south on 
the east side, and the other correspondingly on the west side. 
The smoke pipes led up over the galley, and passed out at 
the windows on the east and west gable ends of the church. 
The present arrangement is different. 

In this broad aisle, running the whole length of the church, 
four pews were added in 1815, one at the end of the wall 
pews on the east side of the church, and one on the west side 
of the church ; also one on each side of the middle entrance 
aisle at its juncture with the long aisle. These pews were sold 
to the highest bidders, viz., the one on the east end to Jacob 
Baker for $27.00, the one on the west end to Samuel Form an 
for $26.50, the pew on the east side of the middle aisle to Dr. 
Woodhull for $48.50, and that on the west side to Moses 
Sproule for $48.50. Some years afterward the two pews open- 
ing on the middle aisle were removed in order to give more 
space in the long aisle in front of the " Elders' square." 



72 HISTOKY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



CHAPTER X. 

REV. DANIEL VEECH MC LEAN, D.D. 

1832—1836. 

Another comparatively short pastorate followed that of Mr. 
Roy, viz., that of Rev. D. V. McLean. He was born at Dun- 
lap's Creek, Fayette Count}', Pa., Xov. 24, 1801, and was the 
brother of Judge Amzi C. McLean. When about twenty-one 
years of age he united with the Presbyterian church at 
Athens, Ohio. In 1824 he graduated at the University of 
Ohio, and subsequently for a time was a teacher in Chambers- 
burg, Pa. He studied for two years in Princeton Theological 
Seminary, and was ordained as an evangelist by the Presby- 
tery of Miami, June 29, 1831. At Somerville, X. J., Feb 1, 
1830, he was married to Miss Evelina B. Linn. Although he 
acted as Stated Supply for a church in Lebanon, Ohio, for a 
short period after his ordination, his first installation was in 
Old Tennent, which took place Xov. 16, 1832. Dr. McLean 
is said to have preached for his first time iu Tennent church, 
on a week day in the summer of 1832, a day set apart for fast- 
ing and prayer on account of cholera then raging. The text 
for his sermon was Joel 2 : 13-14. 

During the four years of his ministry in Tennent additions 
were made to the communion ; but the meagre records of those 
years, that are extant, show no specially large ingatherings. 
The largest number of enrolled members at this time was two 
hundred and seventy. But attention is noticeably called to 
the liberality of the congregation by the large increase in the 
church's gifts to missions, which appear to have been steadily 
generous through all Dr. McLean's pastorate. The largest 
amount reported, during any year of his pastorate, as contrib- 
uted by the church to this object was $178. This may be con- 



REV. DANIEL VEECH McLEAN, D.D. 



73 



trasted with the church's contribution to the missionary fund 
of $20, in 1812, and of $29.50 in 1825. 

Whatever other compensation was given Dr. McLean as 
salary for his pastoral services, the amount of money paid him 
annually was $600. He resided in the old parsonage, and was 
doubtless the last of the Tennent pastors to occupy it. 

FREEHOLD VILLAGE CHURCH. 

In 1836 Dr. McLean resigned his charge, and Presbytery 
dissolved the pastoral relation Nov. 8 of that year. Previous 
to this, in March 1835, a few members of Old Tennent church 
and congregation resolved to build a house of worship in the 
village of Freehold, with no special intention at that time of 
forming themselves into a separate church, " but rather to 
provide for themselves and families more convenient facilities 
for holding religious service." Accordingly, on June 10, 1835, 
the corner stone of a brick building was laid. Two years and 
one week later it was dedicated, having been completed at a 
cost of about $4,000. Feb. 21, 1838, a committee composed 
of Eev. Eli F. Cooley and Benjamin H. Rice, D.D., of the 
Presbytery of ~New Brunswick, organized this church with 
thirty-two members, all of whom presented letters from the 
Tennent church. The first elders were Samuel Forman, M. 
D. ( previously an elder in Old Tennent,) and William T. Sut- 
phin. 

The corporate name adopted for this church was " The Vil- 
lage Church at Freehold." On the roll of the churches of 
Presbytery this name was changed in April 1873 to " The 
First Church of Freehold," which has sometimes caused con- 
fusion from the fact of its similarity to the early name of Old 
Tentient. 

Dr. McLean having supplied the pulpit of this young organ- 
ization for some time, was finally installed its pastor, Nov. 1, 
3838, which position he filled with efficiency for twelve years. 
He was a man of considerable energy, of fine preaching abili- 
ties, and of business capacity. In 1848 he received the honor- 
ary title of Doctor of Divinity from Lafayette College. Three 



74 



HISTORY OF OLD TEOTENT. 



years later this college called him to her Presidency, which 
office he filled from 1851 to 1857. Dr. McLean was also a 
Director in Princeton Theological Seminary from 1848 to 
1860, In his later life he again entered the work of the pas- 
torate, and in this service he died Nov. 23, 1869, at Red Bank, 
IsTew Jersey. His grave is in the new portion of Old Ten- 
nent's burying ground. 

When Dr. McLean came to Tennent the old church edifice 
appears to have been painted red ; for in the question of re- 
pairing and repainting the church building it was resolved in 
congregational meeting " to paint the outside white, provided 
the expense between red and white be made up without charge 
to the congregation." This was in 1835, and it infers that 
previously the church had been painted red; and also it ex- 
plains the reason of the name " The Old Red Church," locally 
used of Old Tennent in the early part of this century. 




Fiuial of the Steeple on the Old Tennent Church. 



REV. JAMES CLARK, D.D. 



75 



CHAPTER XL 

REV. JAMES CLARK, D.D. 

1837—1839. 

Exactly one year after Dr. McLean left the Old Tennent 
pulpit, Rev. James Clark was installed pastor of the church, 
Nov. 8, 1837. He was born in the city of Philadelphia on the 
9th of March, 1812. He studied in the University of Pennsyl- 
vania and in the Princeton Theological Seminary with honor 
and capacity; and he extended his studies for some time in 
France and Germany, manifesting considerable linguistic pow- 
ers. Polished and cultured in all his speech, whether written 
or spoken, he was also an earnest Christian and a strong sup- 
porter of the missionary cause. He was ordained by the 
Presbytery of New Brunswick in session in Old Tennent on 
the same day in which he was installed pastor of the church. 
He remained in this his first charge for about two years, until 
October 2, 1839. After this he was pastor of several church- 
es, and for a time President of "Washington College, Pa. 
During the latter part of his life he was a resident of Philadel- 
phia, and without pastoral charge. He was honored with the 
title of Doctor of Divinity by Jefferson College in 1850. His 
death occurred Nov. 1, 1892, in the eighty-first year of his age. 

In the spring of 1837 Mr. Clark married Julia Wooclhull, 
second daughter of John T. Woodhull, M. D., a ruling elder 
in the Tennent church. During his pastorate he lived in the 
home of Mrs. Robert Roy, boarding with her. In the spring 
of 1839 the church reported to Presbytery : added on examina- 
tion, 10; — added on certificate, 3 ; — total number of members, 
236 ; — adults baptized, 5 ; — infants baptized, 5 ; — contributions 
to Home Missions, $61 ; — contributions to Foreign Missions, 
$61. 



76 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKCTENT. 



During the incumbency of Dr. McLean the old parsonage 
with the farm land attached was sold, as has been mentioned 
before. Then, near the close of Mr. Clark's ministry, the 
congregation purchased a house and lot in Englishtown for a 
parsonage. This property was bought of Margaret Perrine, 
April 18, 1839, for the sum of $2,100. It contained four acres 
of land. Subsequently, May 1, 1841, more land was bought, 
which appears to have been added to the parsonage, since it 
Avas a lot of land " situate lying and being near the village of 
Englishtown in Freehold." It contained ten and one one- 
hundredth acres, and was obtained of Dr. J. Smith English, 
guardian of Cornelia Ann Clayton ( minor, ) at $24.05 per 
acre. These two lots of land were sold by the congregation 
March 15, 1850 to Juliet Conover, for $2,050. This parson- 
age house afterwards passed through the hands of several 
owners. It has since been remodelled and considerably en- 
larged, and was the home for many years of the late John H. 
Laird. It is now owned and occupied by William E. 
Mount. 

PRESBYTERIAL CONNECTIONS. 

Old Tennent has been connected with several different 
Presbyteries, some of which have been famous in the history 
of the Presbyterian Church in America. Obviously Old Ten- 
nent was first connected with the Philadelphia Presbytery, 
and appears to have been the first of all the churches of New 
Jersey that was connected with this mother of American 
Presbyteries. The first extant record of the meeting of this 
Presbytery shows it assembled at the Old Scots church, for the 
ordination of Mr. John Boyd. 

The Synod of Philadelphia was formed in 1716. This 
Synod established the Presbytery of East Jersey in 1733, by 
dividing the Presbytery of Philadelphia. The manner in 
which this record reads, together with the fact that Old Free- 
hold was located in the district called "East Jersey," seems 
to imply that she was included in the organization of this 
Presbytery; and in some instances after this in the records 



REV. JAMES CLARK, D.D. 



77 



Rev. William Tennent, Jr., is spoken of as a member of East 
Jersey Presbytery. 

Then in 1738 the Synod of Philadelphia formed the Pres- 
bytery of New York by uniting the remnants of the Presby- 
tery of Long Island with the Presbytery of East Jersey, of 
which Old Tennent was then a member : and therefore she 
became connected with Yew York. 

Two days later, on May 26. 1738, at the same session, the 
Synod erected the Presbytery of Yew Brunswick, and includ- 
ed Old Tennent within its bounds. Of the Presbytery of Yew 
Brunswick Rev. TTilliam Tennent. Jr.. was one of the five 
original members that came from the Presbytery of Yew York. 
He with his elder, Robert dimming, were present at its first 
meeting in Yew Brunswick Aug. 8, 1738. Rev. Gilbert Ten- 
nent opened the Presbytery at this its first meeting with a ser- 
mon on the text John 21 : 15. Its third meeting was held at 
Old Tennent, Sept. 7. 1738. and John Henderson was the el- 
der present to represent the church. 

After one hundred and twenty-one years in this connection 
Old Tennent made another change. The Synod of Yew Jer- 
sey in Oct.. 1859, erected the Presbytery of Monmouth, and 
naemd Tennent as one of its churches. This Presbytery was 
formed wholly out of Yew Brunswick, and in 1870 became the 
legal successor to the Presbytery of Burlington. The first 
meeting of Monmouth Presbytery was held in the Old Ten- 
nent church Jan. 11. 1860, when Rev. Charles E. ^Worrell 
preached the opening sermon from Eph. 2 : 8. At that meet- 
ing elder James Rue represented the Tennent church, and the 
pastor, Rev. Donald McLaren, was made the first Stated Clerk 
of the Presbytery. 

Thus, summing up Old Tennent's Presbyterial connections, 
they are as follows : — 

1. From the earliest records until 1733. with the Presby- 
tery of Philadelphia. 

2. From 1733 until 1738. with the Presbytery of East Jer- 
sey. 



78 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



3. From 1738 until 1738 (for 2 days only ) with the Pres- 
bytery of New York. 

4. From 1738 until 1859, with the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick. 

5. From 1859 until the present time, with the Presbytery 
of Monmouth. 

During the discussions and difficulties in the Presbyterian 
Church throughout the country in the years 1837 and 1838, 
which finally resulted in the division of the Church into Old 
and New School, there is apparently nothing in the records 
to show that Rev. James Clark ( who was pastor in Old Ten- 
nent at that time, ) did for himself or for his congregation 
manifest any other desire than to support the principles of the 
Old School Branch of the Church. lie, and his elder Wil- 
liam I. Thompson, at the meeting of New Bruuswick Presby- 
tery in Oct., 1838, doubtless voted in the affirmative (for the 
vote was unanimous, ) on the adoption of the resolution 
" That this Presbytery hereby declares its cordial adherence 
to the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, 
on the basis of the Acts of 1837 and 1838, of the General As- 
semblies, for the re-formation and pacification of the church." 
In this connection Old Tennent remained through all the per- 
iod of division, until the happy Re-union of the two Branches 
in 1869. 



REV. LUTHER H. VAN DOREN. 
(Kindness of J. E. Van Doren.) 



REV. LUTHER HAESEY VAX DOREX. 79 



CHAPTER XII. 

REV. LUTHER HALSEY VAX LOR EX. 

1840—1856. 

The tenth pastor of Old Tenuent was the Rev. L. H. Yan- 
Doren. He was the child of eminently pious parents, his 
father being a most godly minister, and his mother a devout 
woman, a sister of Rev. Job F. Halsey. a former pastor of Old 
Tennent. Mr. YanDoren was one in a family of fourteen 
children, of whom it was said "all received the adoption of 
sons and daughters of the Lord." He was born at Hopewell. 
Orange Co., Xew York. March 14. and at the early age 

of twelve years he made a public profession of faith in Christ. 
He graduated at the College of Xew Jersey. (Princeton,) 1831. 
Afterwards he studied for orders in the Episcopal Church, un- 
der Bishop R. B. Smith, of Kentucky. But later, he decided 
to enter the Presbyterian Church. 

In 1834 he was ordained by the Presbytery of Columbia, 
Mo., and soon after began preaching in St. Bonis, where he 
organized what afterwards became a large and nourishing 
church. Old Tennent called him to her service, ottering him 
an annual compensation of 8700 with the use of the parsonage 
house and lot in Englishtown. On June 17. 1S40, he was in- 
stalled pastor of the church, and continued in this relation for 
about half a generation. During his ministry at Tennent, the 
work of the Bord greatly prospered. More than one revival 
largely added to the membership of the church. Conspicu- 
ous among these times of refreshing was the season of 1848, 
when a large number united with the church at the spring 
communion. That year's statistical report shows that one 
hundred and fifteen persons had been added to the church 
during the foregoing year, all but three of whom were on con- 
fession of faith : while the whole number of communicants 



80 HISTORY OF OLD TENKENT, 



was four hundred and thirty-three. Two years later, 1850, 
the total membership was four hundred and eighty-one, doubt- 
less the largest number of communicants the church ever had 
in any one year. Most of the revival meetings of 1848 were 
held in the old school house at Englishtown. William M. 
Paxton (a young man not quite twenty-four years of age, and 
at that time a student in Princeton Theological Seminary), 
frequently preached in these meetings with great acceptance. 
Because of his youth he was called " The Boy Preacher." He 
is now a professor of Homiletics in the same Seminary from 
which he graduated. 

During the former part of Mr. VanDoren's pastorate he re- 
sided in the parsonage at Englishtown, of which mention has 
been made. He was the first pastor to occupy this parsonage, 
at least for any considerable length of time; and he was the 
last one. Afterwards Mr. VanDoren moved to a farm, his 
own property, situated about half way between Englishtown 
and Tennent. Here he lived for some years. lie was twice 
married; first to Miss Susan Wynkoop, of Bucks Co., Pa., 
and second, in 1840, to Miss Lydia Ann Carnahan, daughter 
of President Carnahan, of Princeton College. 

After Mr. VanDoren's ministry closed at Old Tennent, July 
5, 1856, he served several churches in different places. His 
death occurred Oct. 5, 1876, at Middletown, K J. 

In the latter part of Mr. VanDoren's pastorate propositions 
were made at various congregational meetings to alter and re- 
model the pulpit, pews, and gallery of the church building, 
and also to rebuild the church edifice "with or without using 
the old frame." At times some of these propositions appear- 
ed to meet with some approval. But either because of a strong 
opposition throughout the congregation against making a 
change in the old house, or from failure to secure funds for 
rebuilding, or from both these causes combined with others, 
no change was made, and the old edifice remains essentially 
the same as in the days of William Tennent. 



REV. LUTHER HALSEY VAX DOREX. 81 



JAMESBURG CHURCH. 

And now again Old Tennent was connected with and con- 
tributed to the formation of other churches. In the early part 
of this century the Methodists held services in the school house 
near to where Cornelius Mount subsequently lived. Also they 
held regular services at John Hoffman's, between Englishtown 
and Jamesburg. But earnest though they were, they " failed 
to hold or fully occupy " the field, for ministers of other de- 
nominations began to supply the district with preaching, nota- 
bly among which were the Presbyterians. Pastors from Cran- 
bury and from Tennent, with now and then others, held occa- 
sional services in Jamesburg. Subsequently these services be- 
came more regular through different supplies, until June 6, 
1854, when the Jamesburg Presbyterian church was organ- 
ized by a committee from the New Brunswick Presbytery, 
consisting of Revs. Symmes C. Henry, J. "W. Blythe, L. H. 
VanDoren and S. D. Alexander. Of the eleven charter mem- 
bers only one came from the Tennent church ; this was John 
B. Johnson, one of Old Tennent's elders at that time. He 
and John C. Vandeveer, were elected elders of the James- 
burg church. But in less than one month afterward (July 2, 
1854,) Mr. Johnson was dismissed back to Old Tennent, hav- 
ing been borrowed, as was said, for the purpose of completing 
the Jamesburg organization at that time. Rev. J. Halstead 
Carroll was the first pastor of the Jamesburg church. 

MANALAPAN CHURCH. 

In April 1856 between two and three hundred persons of 
Manalapan and vicinity, forty seven of whom were members 
of Presbyterian churches, petitioned the Presbytery of New 
Brunswick to organize a church in that neighborhood to be 
known as " The Manalapan Church." Presbytery granted 
the request and appointed a committee on organization : Rev. 
Symmes C. Henry, D.D., chairman, Rev. S. D. Alexander, 
and Rev. J. M. Rogers, with elders Bennington F. Randolph 
and Elias Bye. The church edifice having been begun in 1855 
was in due time completed, and on July 31, 1856 it was dedi- 

6 



82 HISTORY OF OLD TEKN T EOT. 

cated, Dr. S. C. Henry preaching the sermon from Ezra 6 : 16. 
On the same clay, immediately after this service, the commit- 
tee appointed by Presbytery organized the church with forty- 
eight members, all of whom presented letters of dismission 
from other churches, from the first church of Cranbury, the 
Old Tennent church, the village church of Freehold, and from 
the First church of Millstone, (Perrineville.) Nine of these 
members came from Old Tennent, and thirty-four came from 
the Perrineville church. William P. Forman, John J. Ely, 
John W. Vanschoick, and Gilbert S. Reid were elected and 
installed ruling elders, all of whom had been elders in the 
Perrineville church. Rev. John Leslie Kehoo was the first 
pastor of the Manalapan church. 



REV. DOXALD McLAREX, D.D. 



83 



CHAPTER XIII. 

REV. DONALD MC LATtEN, D.D. 

1857—1862. 

Soon after the close of Mr. VanDoren's term of service the 
church called Rev. Joseph G. Symnies to its pastorate. This 
call was elated Xov. 25, 1856. Mr. Symrnes, then preaching 
in Madison, Indiana, could not see his way clear to accept this 
call. But just one generation later his second son, as a sort 
of belated substitute for his father, was installed pastor of the 
church. 

Rev. Donald McLaren, son of Rev. D. 0. McLaren, follow- 
ed Mr. VanDoren in the Old Teunent pulpit, being ordained 
by the Presbytery of Xew Brunswick, July 1, 1857, and the 
same day installed pastor of the church. Two months pre- 
vious the congregation had given him a call, promising him 
a salary of $1,000. 

He was born in Caladonia, Xew York, March 7, 1834, and 
was educated at Union College. He was licensed to preach 
by the Associate Reformed Presbytery of Caladonia. Woos- 
ter University, Ohio, conferred upon him the degree of Doctor 
of Divinity, in 1880. 

Mr. McLaren came to Old Tennent as a young man, fresh 
from his studies in Princeton Theological Seminary, where he 
graduated. His pastorate continued for more than five years, 
when he resigned on account of delicate health, and his pas- 
toral relation was dissolved Xov. 5, 1862. His ministrations at 
Tennent were crowned with blessings. Steadily year by year, 
numbers were added to the church, and the congregation 
built up. The goodly number of infant baptisms each year 
gave promise of ingatherings for the future. Missionary be- 
nevolence was somewhat increased ; and when Mr. McLaren 
left, the communicants numbered three hundred and fifty-one. 



84 HISTORY OP OLD TENNENT. 



On May 20, 1858, some time after Mrs. Roy's death, the 
congregation purchased of the heirs of Rev. Robert Roy, 
through Bennington F. Randolph (one of the Masters of the 
Court of Chancery,) what had been the " Roy Parsonage." 
It contained nine and one-half acres of land with a house 
thereon, and the price paid was $2,050. Extensive repairs 
were made on this property, bringing the whole cost up to 
$4,334.90. Here Dr. McLaren lived during his ministry at 
Old Tennent. 

Dr. McLaren has served as a chaplain in the United States 
isavy for more than thirty years. Pie still lives (1897.) 

In April 1859, the congregation resolved at their annual 
meeting that the Sesson House Public School District should 
be allowed a location on the ground of the church on which to 
build a new school house ; while the School District was to al- 
low the congregation to use the new house from time to time 
as a sort of compensation for the occupancy of the ground. 

SINGING AND MUSIC. 

There is no record of the fact, yet nevertheless it is most 
probably true that there was a .precentor who led the congre- 
gation in singing, and lined "out the hymns and psalms in the 
early days, according to the Scottish custom. It is an ances- 
tral tradition that Peter Forman " led the singing in the 
church for some years after it was first used for the public 
worship." (Foreman Records, p. 25.) 

June 1797, Jonathan Forman, William McChesney, Thomas 
Coock & David Sutphin were appointed as Clerks " In Read- 
ing & Singing Such Psalms as they Shall Se Proper Or Are 
Directed to be Sang by the Pastor Or Proper officers of Sd. 
Church." And on April 10, 1799, the congregation resolved 
" That whereas for some time past the Clerks of the Congre- 
gation have been directed to sing the first psalm on the intro- 
duction of public worship without reading the line, they be 
directed in future to have the line of the first psalm read and 
to sing the second psalm without reading." From this it 
might appear that all hymns sung in the church were called 



REV. DONALD McLAREN", D.D. 



*5 



"psalms," or that the congregation in those days sang only 
psalms. 

In a congregational meeting held May 28, 1805, it was " Re- 
solved that It be requested that the Times which make part 
of the Public worship be sang without the use of the pitch 
pipe. Resolved that it is the sence of this meeting that all 
Psalms which shall be sung during Public worship shall be 
raised or carried from the desk or square." 

Again, in April 1824, William Sutphen, John T. Woodhull, 
M. D., John W. Maxwell, K S. Rue, and Hugh McChesney 
were " appointed Clerks, to raise & Carry the sacred musick 
in the church." 

Later than this, it is known, that there were three men 
who acted as precentors. They stood in the lower pulpit of 
the square, gave the pitch and led the singing. These men 
were John T. Woodhull, M. D., Nathaniel S. Rue, and David 
Sutphen ; Dr. Woodhull leading, and the other two assisting. 

After this a choir of singers was formed, during the minis- 
try of Mr. VanDoren. This choir was organized and led by 
Dr. John T. Woodhull ; and it stood in the gallery opposite 
the pulpit. 

Still later than this, Edward Redfielcl, a professor of music, 
was engaged by the congregation to lead the choir for a year, 
and teach a singing school for six months. This singing 
school was held on Saturday evenings in the church building. 
Mr. Redfield led the choir during church services with a vio- 
lin, and the choir stood in the south gallery opposite the pulpit. 

The next step in the history of church music in Old Ten- 
nent was the leading of the choir by C. Augustus Craig. He, 
and his brother James, used violins, and were accompanied 
with a violoncello, a clarionet and a flute. There were about 
twenty singers in this choir, and it was still stationed in the 
gallery. 

About 1856 a melodeon was purchased by the congregation. 
It was of the Estey & Green manufacture. C. Augustus Craig 
was the chorister, and his brother, James B. Craig, was the 
first to play this melodeon in the leading of the choir music. 



86 



HISTORY OF OLD TEimENT. 



This modest melodeon was the first musical instrument of the 
organ character that the church possessed : though previous- 
ly it had purchased a violoncello and a clarionet for the use of 
the choir orchestra. The melodeon was placed in the gal- 
lery. 

Later, about 1872, a Mason and Hamlin pedal organ with 
two manuals was purchased. C. Augustus Craig was the first 
to use this as an organist. This organ was set in the gallery; 
but about 1878 it was moved to the lower floor, into the square 
in front of the pulpit. 

The last step in the history of music in Old Tennent was 
made in 1890. A pipe organ was built by M. P. Moller, of 
Hagerstown, Mel., under order of the congregation. This was 
made a one manual organ with five octaves, eight full regis- 
ters, and four hundred and forty-two pipes. It was used in 
the church service for the first time, on Sunday Dec. 14, 1890, 
having been placed in a recess built especially for the purpose 
on the west side of the pulpit. J. Chalmers Rue was the first 
to use this organ as an organist in leading the choir. 

There have been other men who led the choir, and there 
were women organists at different times, whose names have 
not been mentioned in the above list. Simply the chief fea- 
tures in the story of Old Tennent's church singing and music 
have here been given. 

Watts' Hymn Book was used by the church in the early 
part of this nineteenth century. About the time Dr. John T. 
Woodhull formed the choir in the church, the hymn book en- 
titled " Psalms and Hymns," published by the Presbyterian 
Board of Publication, was introduced and was used for about 
thirty years until 1875, when the church began to use a hymn 
book having both tunes and hymns, and styled " Hymns and 
Songs of Praise." This book is still in use in the church. 



REV. ARCHIBALD P. COBB. 
(Kindness of Rev. G. B. F. Hallock.) 



REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 87 



CHAPTER XIV. 

REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 

1863—1881. 

The twelfth pastor of Old Tennent was Rev. Archibald P. 
Cobb, a man of plain habits, active mind, and earnest heart. 
Parsippany, New Jersey, was the place of his birth, Nov. 9, 
1821. His parents were Henry Cobb and Maria Baldwin, 
( maiden name.) His father was a farmer. The Christian 
life of his godly mother, who presented all her children for 
baptism in their youth, manifestly marked the character of 
his mature years. At thirteen years of age he went to work 
in a store in Madison, N. J., and afterwards in a dry-goods 
store in Newark. Subsequently he held a position in the 
wholesale dry -goods store of H. B. Clanin & Co., New York 
City. He was converted in the twenty-second year of his age, 
and united with the church of his mother's early life, the First 
Presbyterian, of Newark, N.J. Immediately he decided to 
study for the gospel ministry. Returning home he prepared 
for college, under the tutelage of Rev. John Ford, and enter- 
ed Princeton in 1847 in the Sophomore class. Here he stood 
in the foremost rank as a scholar, being one of the Junior 
Orators in 1849, and graduating with the highest honors of 
his class in 1850. In the autumn of that year he entered the 
Theological Seminary at Princeton, and continued his studies 
in that institution for two years. Having it then in mind 
that he would enter upon Foreign Mission work, he spent the 
third year of his course at Union Seminary, New York City, 
that he might attend medical lectures in connection with his 
theological studies. He was licensed to preach by the Pres- 
bytery of Newark, April 20, 1853. From 1853 to 1854 he 
was a tutor in mathematics in Princeton College, and at the 
same time he acted as Stated Supply to the Witherspoon 



88 HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



Street church (colored) in Princeton. April 19, 1854 he was 
ordained as an evangelist by the Presbytery of Newark. His 
first pastorate was in the Southwark Mission church in Phila- 
delphia, being installed there Dec. 23, 1855. Here he re- 
mained for six years in successful labors in the gospel. Then 
he withdrew from the active pastorate, and for two years re- 
mained without charge on account of impaired health. His 
last and longest pastorate was in the pulpit of Old Tennent, 
over which church he was installed pastor August 8, 1863, 
and continued thus for seventeen years and a half until his 
death Feb. 26, 1881. Among the last words he said was the 
cry " Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly." At his funeral ser- 
vice a large concourse of friends and parishioners gathered in 
his spacious dwelling house, and then bore his body to rest in 
the cemetery by the church. A granite boulder, smoothed 
on one side, and inscribed with his name and dates of birth 
and death, surmounts his grave. 

Mr. Cobb married Miss Marianna C. Brown, daughter of 
Robert J. Brown, of New York. She with two daughters 
survived him. 

The session of the church with whom he had been many 
years so happily associated, adopted, among others, the fol- 
lowing resolution of respect : "That we record with rever- 
ence and sincere affection, our admiration of his eminent tal- 
ents and learning, his fervid eloquence and great earnestness, 
his consecration to the cause of Christ and our good, his la- 
bors most abundant in season and out of season, his powerful 
pulpit utterances, his kindness to the poor, his charity and 
faithfulness toward all." This same high esteem Avas felt by 
his ministerial brethren, as expressed by the Historian of Mon- 
mouth Presbytery writing a biographical sketch of Mr. Cobb 
and saying " Here (at Tennent) he gave himself to the work 
of preaching the Gospel with a zeal seldom equalled, never 
excelled. * * * His friends said he did too much ; his 
people say ' we never asked him to do so much; ' he himself 
felt he never could do enough." (J. G. S.) Such tributes are 
unusual, and all the more so because so very truthful. 



REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 89 



Mr. Cobb was a man of excellent parts, and of indefatigable 
labors. He possessed splendid gifts in preaching, and some- 
times seemed almost inspired. During the Sabbath day, and 
through all the week following, the number of services he at- 
tended and conducted, and the long list of pastoral calls he 
made, were enough to appall and exhaust most men ; except 
one like him, who apparently possessed an abundant store of 
nervous energy and a strong physicial constitution. It seemed 
as though nothing could daunt his spirit, nor still his activity, 
until his last sickness shut him in his home. 

Oct. 23, 1867, Mr. Cobb and his wife purchased of the con- 
gregation, what was known as the " Roy Parsonage," of which 
mention has been made before. On this property he gave a 
mortgage to the congregation in the sum of $3,000. But the 
congregation allowed Mr. Cobb to hold this amount free of 
interest as long as he remained their pastor, presumably in 
lieu of a parsonage. After his death his heirs paid this mort- 
gage to the trustees of -the church. 

This " Roy Parsonage " house Mr. Cobb finely remodelled 
and greatly enlarged. But it had scarcely been finished and 
handsomely furnished, than it was burned to the ground, on 
a Sunday afternoon, July 25, 1869. Besides the great loss 
that thus came to Mr Cobb, the church also suffered the irre- 
parable loss of most all its sessional records, which lamentably 
subtracts from the writing of a more interesting and complete 
history of the church. 

Afterwards, Mr. Cobb and his wife erected a larger house 
near the same spot, and in this house he lived until his death. 
After the burning of the first house the congregation made 
Mr. Cobb a gift of $3,000, out of a mortgage which they held 
at that time on the old parsonage farm. This was as an en- 
couragement for him to rebuild, and an inducement for him 
to remain as their pastor. Nothing ever drew him away from 
this people, though at one time he received an enticing call 
from another church, prominent in position and offering a 
large salary. 

An idea of the size and condition of the Old Tennent con- 



90 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKN"ENT. 



gregation about this time may be obtain ed from a record made 
by Mr. Cobb in the minutes of session. This record was the 
result of a careful visitation, made in 1870, after the burning 
of the old records, and with the design of finding " exact 
names of church members, what children have been baptized, 
what number of families visited by the pastor and identified 
in general with his pastoral care." It is as follows : — " Entire 
number in the congregation 1,660. Adults 983 ; Children and 
Youths, 677; Families, 412 ; Church members, 390 ; Baptized 
children and youths 267. Those who should present letters 
of admission to the church membership, 27. Those who 
should be encouraged to profess faith in Christ, 23. Children 
of Parents professing which were not baptized, 70. Children 
not baptized of Parents who should profess their faith in 
Christ (i. e.) be counselled to do so, 30. Members of our 
church in Englishtown village, 74. Baptized children in Eng- 
lishtown, 55. Members of our church in Freehold, 17. Bap- 
tized children there, 5." * 

The communion membership of the church was greatly in- 
creased by Mr. Cobb's labors. The spiritual results of his 
ministry in Old Tennent cannot be measured nor counted. 
The records of the ingatherings are beyond the usual. While 
he was pastor, five hundred and one persons united with the 
church, of whom three hundred and eighty-eight were on 
confession of their faith. There was not a single year of his 
pastorate in which there were no accessions to the church. 

Six was the lowest number of any one year, and .one hun- 
dred and forty-two the highest. This blessed revival time oc- 
curred in 1876, which year the membership of the church 
numbered four hundred and eighty, the largest number ot 
members at any one time during the incumbency of Mr. Cobb, 
and within one of the largest number the church ever had in 
one year during its history. The record of ingatherings dur- 
ing each year of his pastorate, as reported to Presbytery at 
the regular spring meetings, is remarkable for its repeatedly 
large additions, and deserves a place in the written history of 
the church. It is the following : — 



KEY. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 91 



ADDED ADDED TOTAL 

YEAR. ON EXM. ON CERTF. COMMUNICANTS. 

1864 14 7 339. 

1865 53 5 380. 

1866 25 5 382. 

1867 13 5 382. 

1868 44 16 421. 

1869 16 6 420. 

1870 15 2 403. 

1871 9 5 400. 

1872 15 10 410. 

1873 1 6 350. 

1874 18 11 371. 

1875 4 3 265. 

1876 130 12 480. 

1877 6 5 300. 

1878 6 2 350. 

1879 13 4 300. 

1880 4 5 300. 

1881 2 4 300. 



Mr. Cobb, being a man of fine musical taste and ability, a 
great lover of song and an excellent singer, labored for the 
best development of praise in his congregation. lie made a 
searching study of the different hymn books with notes pub- 
lished for use in congregational singing, and decided in favor 
of the one entitled " Hymns and Songs of Praise." This book 
was introduced into the church to take the place of the old 
hymn book, in the year 1875 ; and the school houses in which 
Mr. Cobb preached also had a supply of the same style of 
books. It was his custom to conduct evening singing services 
in Englishtown, when the tunes of the church hymn book 
were practiced. These singing services were largely attended 
and enthusiastically conducted. 

While at all times the preaching of Mr. Cobb was energetic 
and attractive, some of his sermons were more prominent than 
others in the minds and memories of his listeners. His ser- 



92 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXKENT. 



mon on the life, character, and death of Rev. William Ten- 
nent, Jr., preached in the church in 1877, — a sermon on the 
one hundredth anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth, preach- 
ed in the church to a large gathering of people on a Sunday 
morning in June, 1878, — also a sermon on a comparison "be- 
tween Alexander the Great aud Paul the Apostle preached in 
Freehold, — and a sermon on the subject of Temperance, 
preached in Englishtown a few months before his death, were 
among the most thrilling, impressive, and memorable of his 
Tennent pastorate. 

ENGLISHTOWN CHURCH. 

After Mr. Cobb had been at Tennent for thirteen years, a 
considerable portion of the congregation was formed into a 
separate church at Englishtown. Preaching services had 
been maintained in this place for some years in connection 
with Old Tennent, and a building had been erected in which 
the meetings were held. In 1876 a petition for the organiza- 
tion of a church was presented to Monmouth Presbytery by 
residents of Englishtown and vicinity. After deliberation on 
the matter, through a committee appointed to visit English- 
town, Presbytery granted this request, and accordingly a 
Presbyterian church was organized there, Thursday, Dec. 14, 
1876. Of the committee on organization, there were present : 
Rev. Benjamin S. Everitt, (Moderator of the Presbytery at 
that time, and- chairman of the committee,) Rev. J. M. An- 
derson, and Rev. Rufas Taylor, D.D., with elders Ezekiel 
Silvers and William R. Murphy. Fifty-seven members from 
Old Tennent and one from the First Church of Cranbury, 1ST. 
J., were enrolled as charter members of the church. Four 
elders were chosen and ordained, Charles H. VanDerveer, 
Andrew S. Sickles, Matthew Rue, Jr., and William C. Lef- 
ferts. Soon after its organization this church secured the ser- 
vices of Rev. Donald McLaren, a former pastor of Old Ten- 
nent. Thus it will be noticed that the history of the forma- 
tion and early life of the church at Englishtown is very simi- 
lar to that of" The Village Church at Freehold." 



REV. ARCHIBALD PARRITT COBB. 



1)3 



God's gracious providence to the congregation of Old Ten- 
nent was manifested in the preservation of their historic sanc- 
tuary from a threatened devastation. The church was struck 
by lightning on Thursday, Aug. 1, 1878, at nine o'clock in the 
evening, and set on fire. Through the prompt energy of Lem- 
uel Bedle and a few of the near neighbors, the building was 
preserved from distinction. The session in behalf of the con- 
gregation adopted resolutions of thanks and commendation to 
Lemuel Bedle, John Snyder, Luther D. Bugbee, John R. 
Sutphen and others " for their instant attention and zeal in ar- 
resting the .burning." It seemed a providential provision that 
R. Perrine Craig, the sexton, had that very evening placed a 
barrel under one of the corner pipes of the church for the pur- 
pose of collecting water for the use of those desiring to water 
flowers in their grave plots. The water collected in this bar- 
rel from the same thunder shower that brought the lightning 
stroke contributed largely if not made it a possibility to the ex- 
tinguishing of the flames. 

The trustees were authorized by the congregation in 1868 to 
move the horse-sheds to a more desirable location. These 
sheds at that time stood close along the public road to the 
west of the church. Accordingly they were removed to the 
opposite side of the church, on the low ground running along 
the east side of the church-yard, the work being done by 
Rezeau Brown. At the same time the grounds of the 
church were graded and improved. A carriage road was laid 
out in front of the sanctuary so that after this, though not 
before, carriages could be driven up to the very door of the 
church. 

The people of Old Tennent deserve credit for their con- 
stant and careful repairing of the old sanctuary ; without which 
care it would long since have crumbled to the ground. Each 
3~ear added to its history endears the old building and yard to 
the church people, adds to its value as a sacred heritage, and 
increases its interest to visitors. It has suffered somewhat 
from vandal hands; so much so indeed that the church peo- 
ple in 1867 resolved to give notice of caution against disfigur- 



94 HISTORY OF OLD TEMTENT. 



ing the church seats in the gallery ; and to procure signs warn- 
ing persons who visit the church not to mutilate it by tearing 
off pieces of shingles from the inclosure. To this old build- 
ing and its little high pulpit Mr. Cobb became more and more 
attached, loving it as an endeared home. In its preservation 
he ever took a keen interest, and also in the improvement of 
the surrounding grounds. 

The church people, and those of neighboring communities 
cherished the memory of Mr. Cobb long and beloved ; which 
fact together with his successful labors and earnest faithful- 
ness combines to emphasize what once was said of him, that 
he was not unlike his illustratious predecessor of a century be- 
fore, the famous William Tennent, Jr. 



KEY. GEORGE GARDNER SMITH. 95 



CHAPTER XV. 

REV. GEORGE GARDNER SMITH. 

1SS1 — 1SS5. 

On May 30. 1881, the congregation extended a call to Rev. 
George G. Smith, a native of Pennsylvania, born at Pitts- 
burgh, Xov. 22. 1S3S. In the call was promised him a salary 
of 81.000 and house rent free. Mr. Smith graduated at Wil- 
liams College. Mass.. 1S61 . and at "Western Theological Semi- 
nary. 1S67. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Carlisle, 
1868. His installation at Old Tennent took place June 27. 
1881: and he continued pastor here until April 1, 1885. 

One of the most beneficial accomplishments of his ministry 
at Tennent was the organizing and establishing of a Woman's 
Missionary Society. It was organized Oct. 8, 1881, and for 
the purpose of interesting the women of Tennent church in 
Ilome and Foreign Missions, as well as in the work of all the 
Assembly's Board-. This society is still in nourishing opera- 
tion, meeting twice each month from October to April, in dif- 
ferent homes of the families of the congregation. It has ac- 
complished much good in the church : and is this day an ef- 
ficient means toward increasing Tennent'' s benevolences. Dur- 
ing the summer months this society devotes its collected funds 
to the aid of its own church. 

The money which Mr. Cobb's estate returned to the trustees 
of the church after his death was used in the purchase of the 
home of James Rue. who had died a few years previously and 
who was an cider in the church. The date of purchase was 
October 22. 1881. and the amount paid for the property was 
82.tU3.50. This house is situated about one mile south of the 
church on a beautiful eminence one hundred and thirty-one 
feet above mean sea level : and it has four acres of ground 
attached. This has been the parsonage of the church from 



96 HISTORY OF OLD TEOTEOT. 



the time of its purchase, where all the pastors since that time 
have resided, Mr. Smith being the first to occupy it. 

Fifty-one people united with the communion of the church 
during the pastorate of Mr. Smith ; and when he left the 
church its membership numbered two hundred and ninety- 
five. Mr. Smith still lives. 



REV. ROBERT CRAWFORD HALLO CK. 97 



CHAPTER XVI. 

REV. ROBERT CRAWFORD HALLOCK, PH.D. 

1885—1889. 

The congregation made out a call to Robert C. Hallock, 
Sept. 3, 1885, with an annual compensation of $1,000 and free 
use of parsonage and lot. Mr. Hallock was born at Holliday's 
Cove, West Virginia, Nov. 9, 1857. He graduated at Prince- 
ton College, 1882, and also at Princeton Theological Semi- 
nary 1885. He was ordained by the Presbytery of Monmouth 
Oct. 16, 1885, in session in the Old Tennent church, and the 
same day installed its pastor. Like a number of preceding 
pastors his first charge was in Old Tennent. Here he contin- 
ued for four years, until Nov. 19, 1889, when he removed to 
become pastor of the Presbyterian church, at Southampton, 
Long Island. 

Mr. Hallock, during his pastorate, published a paper in the 
interest of the Tennent church, chiefly for congregational 
reading. At the first it was issued monthly, and afterwards 
every week. This paper was named " The Old Tennent." 
It was largely subscribed to by the church people, was greatly 
enjoyed, and was the means of doing much good throughout 
the congregation. 

The preaching of Mr. Hallock was spirited and much liked 
by his people. His pastorate, though quiet and short, was 
blessed with happy results. Seventy-six persons united with 
the church during his ministry of four years ; and the church's 
gifts to Home and Foreign Missions increased. 

In 1888, Mr. Hallock received the well-earned degree of 
Doctor of Philosophy from the University of New York. He 
is now pastor of the Presbyterian church, at Clinton, N. Y. 
where he was installed Jan. 20, 1897. 

7 



98 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKN"EXT. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

REV. FRANK ROSEBROOK SYMMES. 

1890— 

The present and fifteenth pastor of the church is Rev. Frank 
R. Symmes. On Feb. 18, 1890, he was installed at Old Ten- 
nent, by the Presbytery of Monmouth, and in this office he 
still continues. 



A Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor was form- 
ed in the church in 1890. On Oct 17, of that year the organ- 
ization was completed in the adoption of the Constitution and 
By-Laws which had been drawn up by a committee previous- 
ly appointed. The officers of the Society had been elected 
Oct. 9, and these first officers were George L. DuBois, Presi- 
dent ; Miss Mamie Y. Rue, Yice-President ; Miss S. Jennie 
Reid, Recording Secretary ; W. Harvey Reid, Treasurer ; and 
Augustus Reid, Corresponding Secretary. The organization 
started in October with fifteen active members, and by the 
close of the following December this number had increased to 
thirty-three. The custom of the Young People's Society has 
been to hold prayer meetings in the church every second Sun- 
day evening. 



During the autumn of 1892 a fire-proof safe was purchased 
from The Lytle Safe & Lock Co., of Cincinnati, Ohio. It was 
procured through a generous deal of Daniel S. Aumack. In 
this safe the records and papers of the church are preserved. 
To this collection, historical materials concerning Old Ten- 
nent, have continually been added, and more are earnestly so- 
licited as they may be discovered from time to time in the old 
desks, closets and attics of friends of the church. 



OLD TENNENT CEMETERY. 



99 



OLD TENNENT CEMETERY. 

Soon after the first sanctuary was built on White Hill, a 
cemetery began to form around it. There was room for bur- 
ials here considering that the first lot of ground was one acre 
in extent. Yet long after the second and present Tennent 
church was built on White Hill, some of the most prominent 
families in the congregation continued to bury their dead in 
the Old Scots yard, though evidently they attended service at 
White Hill. This perhaps was owing to the fact that they 
early had family grave-plots there, and that they cherished 
sacred memories of the early rugged church in the wilder- 
ness. 

The date of death marking the earliest tomb-stone in Old 
Tennent cemetery is Oct. 27, 1744. This stone stands over 
the grave of John Mattison, who died in his twenty-third year. 
Possibly there were burials around the church on White Hill 
previous to 1744, and like many others since, the graves have 
become obliterated or cannot be identified. From this date 
burials have continued to be made in Old Tennent's yard, 
and here grave-stones mark burials of the dead for almost 
every year from 1744 down to the present. 

The diagram given here of the early lots of Old Tennent 
cemetery was taken from an old map. The figure on the 
north end of the first acre shows the church building; that in 
the southwest corner is evidently meant for the old log school 
house ; and that in the southeast corner possibly indicates a 
horse-shed, or more probably the well that once stood near that 
spot. The letters at the corners obviously refer to the sort of 
oak that marked the line. The fact of this ground being cov- 
ered with oak trees possibly explains the name " White Hill," 
perhaps meaning " White-oak Hill." 

As time went on more land was added to the original lot. 
The trustees of Old Tennent, or those acting as trustees at 
that time, purchased from William Ker one acre of land, the 
original site on which the church now stands. The deed for 
this plot of ground was dated May 1, 1731, and the price paid 
was " One Shilling Current Money of the province." Dec. 1, 



100 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



1764, two and eighteen hundredths acres were purchased from 
Jonathan Rhea, and the price paid was £17.. 8. .10. John An- 
derson, Depty. Surveyor, protracted a map of the church 
ground at this time. The ground was covered with white, 
black, and red oak trees. Then again Oct. 11, 1803, one and 




Plan of the early lots of Old Tennent Cemeter\-. 



ten hundredths acres were purchased from Lewis Perrine, for 
the sum of $29.34. The church and grave-yards now con- 
tained four and twenty-eight hundredths acres. This was sur- 
veyed by John L. Anderson, Deputy Surveyor, on the same 
day in which the deed was given. May 3, 1841, one and nine 



OLD TENNEOT CEMETERY. 



101 



hundredths acres were bought of John I. Conover, for $43.60 ; 
and again May 10, 1849, fifty-nine hundredths of an acre from 
William McChesney, for $38.35. Oct. 25, 1867, the largest 
purchase of ground was made. It was bought of Miss Anna 
Mary Gordon, for $1,600, and contained 9.05 acres. Dec. 18, 
1868, the trustees of the church purchased of John M. Per- 
rine, 1.70 acres, for $340. These probably embrace most, if 
not all, the purchases of land that were made, and this last ad- 
dition increased the size of the church grounds to 16.71 acres. 
About one year subsequent to this, 4.13 acres on the north 
end of the yard were sold to Ellison E. Clinton, for $400. 
Thus according to this list of purchases, the present church 
grounds are very ample, and offer wide room for desirable 
burial plots to those wishing to secure them. Of these plots 
the sexton of the yard takes special care, when their owners 
have made such arrangements with him. 

In former years, a well stood about one hundred yards south 
of the east door of the church. It has now been closed up for 
some years, and the ground over it occupied by the grave- 
yard. The site of this well was not far from " William Ker's 
Barrs." A map of the old part of the cemetery was made by 
A. B. Ammerman. It was begun in 1852, and it shows the 
location of all the graves at that time. Mr. Ammerman also 
made a list of the names of all persons buried in this old por- 
tion of the cemetery, giving also, the age and date of death, 
and indicating whether or not a stone marks the grave. But 
some of the graves could not be identified, and evidently some 
were obliterated and therefore may never be known. The 
portion of the cemetery known as " The New Part " embraces 
the ground purchased from Miss Gordon, and covers between 
four and five acres. The first grave opened in this new por- 
tion was that of John M. Perrine, in September, 1870. 

In past years a public highway (carriage road) ran on the 
west and north of the church grounds, between what is now 
the old and the new part of the cemetery. But in response to 
an application made by Robert E. Craig and others to the 
Court, it was ordered that this piece of road should be vacated 



102 



HISTORY OF OLD TEMENT. 



and closed to the public in April, 1867. The road, trom which 
the vacated piece was cut off, was opened into the Manalapan 
and Patton's Corner turn-pike further to the north, dividing 
the land owned by Matthew Rue Gordon. 

These burial grounds have been repaired and improved from 
time to time by the congregation. It is at present the custom 
for the men of the congregation once a year to gather in the 
yard and mow and rake it. Besides this the sexton is contin- 
ually repairing it, and, as has been said, takes special care of 
such plots, wdiose owners make a private agreement with him 
to do so. The grounds are increasing in beauty and value, 
and in historic interest and sacred memories. 

A large proportion of Old Tennent's members have been 
laid in this tranquil resting place ; and many persons make 
journey's to this " God's acre " in memory of and in sorrow 
over departed friends. It is indeed a sacred spot, hallowed in 
many minds, and endeared to many hearts. From different 
and distant places the children of this church are being brought 
for burial among the scenes of their youth in this rural grave- 
ground. A large " city of the dead " is extending its white 
and gray stones over these peaceful acres. And we of the liv- 
ing are shortly expecting to come to the undisturbed repose in 
this sepulchre of our fathers. 



APPENDIX. 



r. 



LIST OF PASTORS. 



FULL NAME. 



John Boyd 

Joseph Morgan 

John Tennent 

William Tennent, Jr 

John Woodhull, D.D 

Job Foster Halsey, D.D 

Robert Roy 

Daniel Veech McLean, D.D 

James Clark, D.D 

Luther Halsey Van Doren 

Donald McLaren, D.D 

Archibald Parritt Cobb 

George Gardner Smith 

Robert Crawford Hallock, Ph.D... 
Frank Rosebrook Symmes 



ORDAINED. 



Dec. 29, 

Nov. 19, 

Oct. 25, 

Aug. r, 

June 14, 



1706 
1700 
1730 
1733 
1770 
1826 



June 29, 

Nov. 8, 

July 1, 

April 19, 

Aug. 19, 

Oct. 16, 

I May 13, 



1831 
1837 
1834 
1857 
1854 
1868 
1885 
1S86 



INSTALLED. 



Nov. 19, 
Oct. 25, 

June 14, 
Feb. 18, 
Nov. 16, 
Nov. 8, 
June 17, 
July 1, 
Aug. 8, 
June 27, 
Oct. 16, 
Feb. 18, 



1710 
1730 
1733 
I77SH 
1826 
1829 
1832 
1837 
1840 
1857 
1863 
1881 
1885 



DISMISSED. 



I729 



March 5, 1828 



Nov. 8, 1836 

Oct. 2, 1839 

July 5, 1856 

Nov. 5, 1862 



April 1, 1885 
Nov. 19, 1889 



Aug. 30, 1708. 



April 23, 1732. 
March 8, 1777. 
Nov. 22, 1824. 



Mch. 15, 1832. 



Feb. 26, 



II: 

LIST OF ELDERS. 

[ This list of the names of Elders in the Old Tennent Church was made with much care 
and labor. It is doubtless not fully complete. Some names may be omitted, only because 
nothing is now known of them. And this list may not be absolutely correct, since a few 
names are placed here on the ground of strong inference and association rather than 
direct statement ; such names being given the benefit of the probability. The dates of 
ordination are given, or are put as early and near to the correct time as could be ascer- 
tained with certainty ; yet they may not be strictly accurate in every case. Because of 
lost records and the silence of the past it is probable that this list, with those of the Dea- 
cons and Trustees, will never be fully completed.] 



1730 


Walter Ker. 


1776 


John Baird. 


1730 


John Hutton. 


1787 


Thomas Henderson, M. D 


1731 


Charles Gordon. 


1788 


John Craig. 


1734 


Robert Cumming. 


1788 


David Forman. 


1735 


David Rhe. 


1789 


Jacob Wyckoff. 


1735 


John Henderson. 


1790 


Peter Johnston. 


1745 


Capt. John Anderson. 


1792 


John Covenhoven. 


1745 


Joseph Ker. 


1794 


Thomas Cook. 


1763 


Aaron Mattison. 


1795 


Peter Wyckoff. 


1764 


William Cowenhoven. 


1795 


Kenneth Anderson. 


1768 


Derrick Sutphin. 


1798 


William Johnson. 


1769 


Peter Foreman. 


1798 


Joseph Sutfin. 



104 HISTORY OF OLD TEKNEOT. 



1798 Ruleff Vanderveer. 
1798 John Dey. 

1804 John Rue. 

1805 Samuel Forman, M. D. 
1805 Woolsey Baldwin. 
1805 Ruleff P. Schenck. 

1805 John I. Reid. 

1806 Ezekiel Gordon. 
1822 William Davis. 
1822 Robert Conover. 

1822 John T. Woodhull, M. D. 
1822 Nathaniel S. Rue. 
1822 William I. Thompson. 
1822 William W. Dey. 
1828 John English. 
1828 William I. Ely. 
1830 Joseph L. Conover. 

1830 David B. Dey. 

1 83 1 William G. Denise. 
1 84 1 John I. Conover. 
1844 Abraham Ammerman. 



1846 George S. Woodhull. 
1849 James Rue. 

1849 Robert E. Craig. 

1850 John B. Johnson. 

1 85 1 Asher Tunis. 

1856 Joseph H. Sutphin. 
1859 R. Perrine Craig. 
1859 Cornelius E. Dey. 
186 Garret B. Conover. 
186 Joseph Combs. 
186 Enoch Ely. 
1876 Daniel Davison. 
1876 G. Spafford Reid. 
187/^Aaron L. Reid. 
1876 Taylor Mount. 
i88^4lvuther D. Bugbee. 
1884 Spencer E. Gulick. 
1887 Jacob M. Quackenbush. 
1887 William H. Reid. 
1896 George W. Stillwell. 
1896 James B. Rogers. 



III. 



LIST OF DEACONS. 



[This list is certainly not complete. Possibly iu some names it may be incorrect. But 
it is the best that can now be made. The dates are those of ordination, or as near as can 
be accurately ascertained. 



1734 William Ker. 

1734 Samuel Ker. 

1745 Samuel Craig. 

1776 John Baird. 

1788 John Craig. 

1794 Thomas Cook. 

1797 Joseph Sutphin. 

1797 Ruleph Vanderveer. 

1797 William Johnson. 

1797 John Dey. 

1803 Ezekiel Gordon. 

1803 John Rue. 

1805 Samuel Forman, M. D. 

1805 Woolsey Baldwin. 

1805 Peter Johnston. 

1805 Ruleff P. Schenck. 



181 5 Denise Forman. 
1 815 John Reid. 
1859 G. Spafford Reid. 
1859 William Duncan. 
1870 John R. Sutphen. 
1870 Gilbert Marcellus. 
1870 Elijah Reid. 
1870 James R. Magee. 
1876 Jacob McElwaine. 
1876 William Snyder. 
1879 Luther D. Bugbee. 
1879 Spencer E. Gulick. 
1884 John P. English. 
1884 Jacob M. Quackenbush. 
1884 Charles T. Clayton. 
1884 James L. Rue. 



APPENDIX. 



105 



IY. 



LIST OF TRUSTEES. 

[It must not be supposed that this list is complete. But it is the best that can now be 
made. The dates given are those of the entrance into service, or as near as can be accu- 
rately ascertained.] 



QUASI TRUSTEES. 

1727 John Johnston. 
1727 Peter Watson. 
1727 Walter Ker. 
1727 Patrick Imlay. 
1727 Archibald Creige. 
1727 Richard Watson. 

1730 William Ker. 

1 73 1 Aaron Mattison. 
1 73 1 David Rhe. 

1 73 1 John Henderson. 
1 73 1 Samuel Ker. 
1735 Jonathan Forman. 

1735 Robert dimming. 

1736 John Anderson. 
1736 Peter Gordon. 
1745 Peter Forman. 
1745 Robert Rhe. 



FIRST TRUSTEES UNDER THE GEN- 
ERAL CHARTER. 

I 75° John Little. 

1750 Christopher Longstreet. 

1750 Jonathan Forman. 

1750 John Anderson. 

1750 James Robinson. 

1750 John Henderson. 

1750 Stephen Pangburn. ' 

1750 Robert Imlay. 

1750 Tobias Polhemus. 



1763 Peter Forman 

1763 Peter Imlay. 

1763 David Knott. 

1777 Robert Rhea. 



FIRST TRUSTEES UNDER THE SEPA- 
RATE CHARTER. 

1787 Jacob WikofF. 

1787 Thomas Henderson, M. D. 

1787 David Forman. 

1787 Kenneth Anderson. 

1787 Gen. David Forman. 



787 John Covenhoven. 

787 John A. Scudder, M. D. 



797 Thomas Cook. 
797 John Craig. 
:8o3 Joseph Scudder. 
:8o3 James R. English, M. D. 
806 Samuel Forman, M. D. 
810 John P. Covenhoven. 
810 Woolsey Baldwin. 
:8io John Sutfin. 
813 Tunis Forman. 

815 Wm. I. Covenhoven. 

816 John McChesney. 
818 Robert Conover. 
818 John I. Reed. 
:8i8 John J. Ely. 

.818 John T. Woodhull, M. D. 
:820 James English, M. D. 
1826 James Bowne. 
:826 John I. Conover. 
829 David R. Vanderveer. 
1829 John B. Forman. 
835 John Suydam. 
835 Cyrus Bruen. 

835 Daniel Polhemus, M. D. 

836 Arthur V. Conover, M. D. 
843 Robert E. Craig. 

843 David I. Vanderveer. 

844 James Applegate. 
846 Joseph Combs. 
846 Enoch Cowart. 

:853 Joseph C. Thompson, M. D. 
858 Peter P. Clayton. 
:86o William D. Herbert. 

870 William Perrine. 
1870 Elijah Reid. 

871 John R. Sutphen. 

871 George Quackenbush. 

872 R. Perrine Craig. 

876 Charles Quackenbush. 
878 James F. Herbert. 
882 W. Denise Herbert. 



106 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



1882 RedfordJ. Gulick. 
1884 Charles T. Clayton. 
1884 William H. Reid. 

1884 Jacob M. Quackenbush. 

1885 Spencer E. Gulick. 



1885 John A. Okerson. 
1885 James L. Rue. 
1894 Ephraim Laird. 
1897 John W. Craig. 
1897 George L. DuBois. 
/£?/ georjeWrSAy/ue//. 



V. 

LIST OF EARLY COMMUNICANTS. 

"Persons Admitted to the Lord's Table (besides the Session Mem- 
bers) June 8, 1735. all the Session Present." 



Robert Newal 
& his Wife. 
Hannah Deboogh. 
Lydia Gordon. 
Ann Loyd. 
Mrs. Sarah Crawford. 
Margaret Ker. 
Margaret Robinson. 
Michael Errickson. 
Mary Cumming, 
James Robinson. 
Margaret Campbell. 
John Service. 
Hannah Hutton. 
John Lowre}^. 
Sytie Truax. 
Mary Perrine. 
Ann Scobie Jr. 
John McGallird. 
Joseph Ker. 



Margaret Gordon. 
Mary Baird Sr. 
Rebeca Annesle}-. 



Margaret Mount. 
Richard Britain. 
John Little Esqr. 
Wid. Janet Rhe. 
Alice Lloyd. 
Ann Clark. 
Elisabeth Cook. 
Elisabeth Hampton. 
Janet Ireland. 
Elisabeth Ireland. 
Hannah Lloyd. 
Mary Craig, Jr. 
Anne Henderson. 
John McConnell. 
Mrs. Mary Craig. 
Ealeanor Kinnan. 
Frances Van Hook. 
William Annesle3\ 
Robert Campbell, 
Daniel Baker. 

Admitted 1736. 

Elisabeth Stevens. 
Margaret English. 
Elisabeth Ross. 



James English. 
Margaret his Wife. 
Alice Allen. 
John Anderson Jr. Esqr. 
Thomas Noble. 
Richard King. 
Waltar Wilson. 
John Glacking. 
William Aduddle. 
Hugh McFerrin. 
Margaret his Wife. 
Isaac De3 T . 
Elisabeth Barclay. 
Janet McDowall. 
Ann Rhe. 
Isbela Berry. 
Rachel Mitchel. 
Robert English. 
Euphunea Fraizer. 



David Carlile. 



Admitted April 26, 1739 & Sep. 12, 1739 & Sep. 1740. 



John Carlile. 
Margaret his Wife. 
Duncan McCay. 
George Rhe. 
Jonathan Combs. 



James Reid. 
Agnos his Wife. 
Margaret Whitlock 
Mary Graham Jr. 
Eleanor Newal. 



May 11, 1 741. 

Richard Stevens Esqr. William McKnight. 
John Stevens. Patrick Brown. 

John Heron. Mary Lefertson. 



Catharine Ker. 
Yana Negro Woman 
of Wm. Cowenhoven. 



Elisabeth Saltar. 



APPENDIX. 



107 



Peter Clark 

& Grissel his Wife. 



Dr. Peter Laconte 
& Velariah his Wife. 



Martha Mattison. 
Joseph Wilson & 
Margery his Wife. 
Hannah (Wife of 
Kenneth Anderson) 



Philip Conine & 
his Wife Sarah. 



Sep. 15, 1743- 
Thomas Stevens. 

May 4, 1744- 

Phebe Mills 

wife of Richd. Mills. 

Sep. 4, 1745- 

Mary Noble. 
Hugh Greg & 
Jane his Wife. 
John Campbell. 



1 746 May & Sept. 
Anderson 



Kate Negro woman 



Wid. Martha Cole. 
Samuel Stelle. 
George Edger. 
Gertrude (Wife of 
John Benham). 



VI. 



A List of the Names of the Subscribers to the building of 
the present Old Tennent Meeting House, with amounts 
subscribed. 

"We the Subscribers Do Promise & Bind Our Selves Our Heirs Ex- 
ecutors and Administrators To Pay unto The Trustees of the Presby- 
terian Church of Monmouth County or their Successors the Sum Sub- 
scribed with Our Names for and towards the Building a House for 
Publick Worship near the Meeting House on White Hill near William 
Ker's which Sum We Promise to pay the one half of it when the frame 
of Said House is Raised and the other half Six Months After Witness 
Our Hands each Man for himself this Sixteenth Day of March 1749-50." 



Robert Cumming 10 

James Robinson 

Jonathan Forman 

William Ker 

John Anderson 

Aaron Mattison 

David Rhe 



Joseph Ker 

William Laird 5 

William Norcross 

Thomas Davies 

John Craig "4 



£ 


s 


d 




£ 


s 


d 


10 








William Wikoff 


■ 7 








10 








William McGalliard . . 


1 


10 





10 








Peter Covenhoven .... 


2 








7 








John Bennem 


• 4 








13 








Sarah Reed 




10 





5 








Jacob Cumten 




10 





10 








Elizabeth Cumten .... 




8 





14 








Thomas Cragg 


■ 3 








5 








Joseph Kinnan 


1 








5 








Dr. Le Conte 


. 10 








5 








David Gordon 


• 4 








3 








John Reed 


1 








4 








Timothy Lloyd 


• 3 








4 








Rebeca Van Scihoc . . . 




10 






108 



HISTORY OF OLD TEXXEXT. 



£ s 

Robert Rhe 4 o 

William Cowenhoven, Sr. 5 o 

William Hugan 3 o 

Aaron Mattison, Jr 5 o 

William VanKirk 5 o 

Peter Forman 8 o 

John Trueax 4 o 

George Walker 10 o 

Jacob Gistven 8 o 

Samuel Ker 6 o 

David English 5 o 

John Lloyd 4 o 

William Hampton 3 10 

James Lesly 2 o 

John Henderson 10 o 

William Crawford 3 10 

Phillip Conine 5 10 

John Chambers 1 o 

John Reid 1 15 

George Rhe 2 o 

Sarah Dick 2 o 

Alexander Thompson ... 10 

Charles McCart 1 o 

James Wilson 7* o 

George Forman 3 o 

David English 3 o 

James Mulligan 1 o 

Mary Eeman 10 

Robert McGalliard 1 o 

Thomas Thompson 1 o 

James Hilcrees 1 o 

William Craig 2 o 

Henry Guest 1 15 

Henry Strickland 10 

Adam Bois ■ 10 

Samuel Forman 5 10 

Joseph Forman 7 o 

Thomas Robinson 10 

Benjamin Clark 10 

William McConcky 3 10 

Benjamin Van Clif 2 o 

John Clark Smyth 14 

Richard Van Clif 1 o 

Andrew Mean 15 

George Eggers 15 

Mary Leffers 14 

Garret G. WyckofF 3 o 

Abraham Zutven 10 

Richard Pettinger 3 10 

Peter Watson 3 o 



d £ s d 

o Elizabeth Tedrick 10 o 

o Garret Schanck 2 20 

o Margrat Watson 10 o 

o John Beard 10 o 

o Zebulon Baird 1 00 

o John Lamberts 1 00 

o Hendrick Van Vorhis . . 5 00 

o Mical Ericson 700 

o Henry Swinler 10 o 

o William Cruckshank . . 1 00 

o William Shaw 1 15 o 

o Robert Millegin 2 00 

o Robert McChesney . . . . 3 00 

o John Norman 2 00 

o John Casmen 2 00 

o Charles Rhodes 1 00 

o Peter Clark 1 00 

o Matthew Rue 2 00 

o John Burns 1 00 

o Felix McGuire 1 00 

o John Campbell, Jr 1 00 

o Henderike Bennem.... 10 o 

o William A. Conhoven.. 5 00 

o John Van Clafe 2 00 

o John Williams 3 00 

o John Clayton 7 00 

o Abram Clayton 300 

o William Preston, Jr. .. . 1 00 

o David Clayton... 15 o 

o Ambrose Stelle 5 00 

o Garret Covenhoven .... 1 00 

o Richard Jeams 17 6 

o David Clayton 1 15 o 

o John Covenhoven 1 00 

o John Vooris 1 00 

o William Rue 1 00 

o George Davison 1 00 

o Aron Sutphen 14 o 

o John Suthen 14 o 

o John Cambers, Jr 10 o 

o Peter Cowenhoven 140 

o Matthias Lane 14 o 

o Dirik Zutphen, Jr 2 00 

o John Longstreet 1 15 o 

o Christoffel Longstreet.. 14 o 

o Isaac Sutphen 14 o 

o William Sutphen 14 o 

o Diric Zutphen 3 00 

o Koert Schenck 3 10 o 

o Peter Lefferts 70 



APPENDIX. 



109 



£ s d 

Thomas Addoms 2 00 

Robert English 2 00 

. . 1 14 8 

Kenneth Anderson 5 00 

David Baird 3 00 

Mical Killy 1 100 

John Fenton 1 10 6 

John Gaston 5 00 

Gawin Watson 3 00 

William McKnight 4 00 

Edward McVallely 1 10 o 

William Watson 1 10 o 

Joseph Grevat 100 

Michael Sweetman 3 00 

John Fish 100 

John Reid 1 00 

Daube Sconland 10 o 

Joseph Preston 1 00 

Richard Compton 1 10 o 

John Clayton, Jr 1 10 o 

Nicolas Cook 10 00 

Robirt Embly 1 100 

John Silleman 1 100 

Jonathan Andeson 14 o 

Thomas Hankeson 2 00 

Joseph Newton, Jr 1 00 

William Truax 1 00 

Samuel Runan 1 10 1 

Samuel McConkey 3 00 

William Cumpton 2 00 

Andrew Davison 1 80 

Joseph Cheesman 1 00 



£ s d 

Teunis Vanderveer .... 7 00 

William Hilsee 14 o 

John DeBue 15 o 

John Cewall 1 100 

James Dey, Jr 14 o 

John Dey, Sr 10 o 

Michael Mount 1 00 

Samuel Preston 100 

ThoS. Duncan of Craubery 2 O O 

William Preston, Sr. . . 3 00 

Samuel Grandin 50 

Guizbert Vanmatra .... 1 00 

Jamima Kannon 14 o 

Violet Newell 15 o 

James Dey 2 00 

Sara Francis 80 

Andrew Baird, 2,500 Seder Shingles. 

Thomas Langdons 1 00 

John Newell 1 00 

Thomas Newton 14 o 

John Barclay 2 00 

Robert Davizon 5 00 

Meran McCalaster 10 o 

David Barclay 2 00 

Elizabeth Ireland 10 o 

Peter Knott, in Boards . 400 
Lawrence Van Hook i u Boards 150 

Mary McCay 176 

Margarat Wiliams 10 o 

Thomas Thompson .... 1 1 1 o 

Joseph Emans 10 o 

Tunis Denis 2 20 



VII: 



DEED FOR THE OLD SCOTS GROUND. 

June i 1727. 

made this first Day of June and in the 
thirteenth Year of the Reign of our Soveraign Eord George over Great 
Brittain, &c, King, &c, Annoq Domini, one Thousand, Seven hun- 
dred, Twenty and Seven, BETWEEN Alexander Nepier, of Free- 
hold, in ye County of Monmouth, & Province of East New Jarsey, 
Yeoman of ye one part, & John Johnson, Sen. Esq., Peter Watson, 
Walter Ker, Sen., Patrick Imlay, Sen., Archibald Creige & Richard 



110 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNEKT. 



Watson, all of ye Same Place and Province aforesd., Yeomen of ye 
other Part WITNESSETH, that ye Sd. Alexander Nepier, for & 
in consideration of a competent Sum of money to him in hand, 
paid by ye Sd. John Johnston, Peter Watson, Walter Ker, Patrick Im- 
lay, Archibald Creige & Richard Watson, the Receipt whereof he doth 
hereby Acknowledge & himself therewith fully Satisfied and contented 
& thereof & of & from every Part & Parcel thereof do fully & freely, 
acquit, Exonerate & Discharge ye Sd. John Johnston, Peter Watson, 
Walter Ker, Patrick Imlay, Archibald Creige & Richard Watson, their 
& every of their Heirs, Executors & Administrators for ever by these 
Presents, Hath Aliened, Granted, Bargained & Sold & by these Pres- 
ents doth Alien, Grant, Bargain & Sell, unto ye Sd. John Johnston, 
Peter Watson, Walter Ker, Patrick Imlay, Archibald Creige & Richard 
Watson to their and every of their Heirs, Executors & Administrators, 
for ever ; A certain tract of Land, Scituate, lying & being in the Town- 
ship of Freehold, in the County & Province aforesd. BEGINNING at a 
Stake wch lyes North, North West & two Degrees more Northerly 
Sixteen Chains & three fourths of a Chain from Walter Benthills, 
north East Corner along Alexander Neipers line & from ye Said line 
due East two Chains & Seventy-one links, & running East five Chains, 
thence North, five Chains, thence West, five Chains, thence South, 
five Chains, to where it began, TOGETHER wth. all & all manner of 
Buildings, Feedings, Pastures, woods, underwoods, waters, water 
Courses, water Falls, Ponds, Pitts, Pools, Mines, Mineralls, Easements, 
Profitts, and Commodities to the Same belonging or in any manner of 
ways Appertaining & all the Estate, Right, Title, Interest, Reversion, 
Remainder, Claim & Demand whatsoever of him the Sd. Alexander 
Nepier of, in to, or out of, the Same or any part or parcel thereof, as 
fully & Amply to all constructions, Intents & Purposes as the Same 
was Granted and Affirmed to me the Sd. Alexander Neiper by Deed of 
Sale from John Reid, Esq., Deceased of Hortensie bearing Date Febru- 
ary the fifth Annoq Domini 1697 Entered upon Publick Record in Li- 
ber E folio 1539. TO HAVE AND TO HOLD the Sd. Tract of Land & 
Premises with their & every of their Appertenances, unto them the Sd. 
John Johnston, Peter Watson, Walter Ker, Patrick Imlay, Archibald 
Creige, and Richard Watson, their and every of their Heirs, Executrs. 
& Administrs. to & for the Use, benefit, & behoof of them ye Sd. John 
Johnston, Peter Watson, Walter Ker, Patrick Imlay, Archibald Creige 
and Richard Watson their & every of their Heirs, Executrs. & Ad- 
ministrs. for ever YEILDING & PAYING therefore Yearly & every 
Year for ye Said Tract of Land unto him ye Sd. Alexander Nepier, his 
Heirs & Assigns a corn of Peper or the value thereof at or upon every 
25th Day of March for ever hereafter in Lieu & instead of all other 
Services & Demands & ye Sd. Alexander Nepier doth hereby for him, 
his Heirs, Executors & Adminstrs. doth covenant, promise, Grant & 
Agree to & with ye Sd. John Johnston, Peter Watson, Walter Ker, 
Patrick Imlay, Archibald Creige & Richard Wattson & their Heirs &c. 
that at ye time of the granting of ye Premises is Seized, of ye above 
Sd. Tract of Land of a Sure Perfect & Absolute Estate of Inheritance 
in ye Law, in fee Simple, & that ye Sd. Land is free from any former 
or other Grant, Joynture, Dowry, or Incumbrance whatsoever So as to 



APPENDIX. 



Ill 



alter change, charge or make void the Same estate. IN WITNESS 
whereof the Sd. Alexander Nepier hath hereunto Set his hand & Seal 
ye Day & Year above written. 
Signed, Sealed & Delivered 1 

in the Presence of j ALEXANDER NEIPER. 

John Reed. 

David Rhe. 

John Hepburn Junor. 

[This deed is written on a large page of thick white paper. On the reverse side the 
following agreement and memorandum is written] : 

Before the signeing & sealing of this Deed the within Mentioned 
persons Doth all promise that them theire heirs and Euery of them 
shall use the said Land for a buring Yard and to Keep a prisbteran 
Meeting and for No Other Use the sade Alexander Nipper his heires 
Exetor shall Not be troubled with No taueran Nor No Residentar on 
the said tract of Land Giuen Under our hands this twenty seuenth 
Day of March In the Year of Oure Lord one thousand seven hundred 
and twenty Eight. 

WALTER KER. 

ARCHIBALD CREIGE. 

RICHARD WATSON. 

CHARLES GORDON. 
MEMORANDUM That on this twelfth day of November Anno Dom. 
1741 David Rhe one of the within subscrib'd Evidences personally ap- 
pear' d Before Me Fenwick Lyell one of His Majesty's Councill for the 
province of New Jersey, who being sworn on the Holy Evangelists did 
declare and depose That he was present and Saw Alexander Neiper 
party to the within Instrument Sign Seal and as his voluntary act and 
Deed deliver the same to the use therein mention'd, and that he sub- 
scribd his Name as an Evidence thereof. 
Jurat die et anno supra dictis coram me. 

FENW'K LYELL. 
The within Deed is Recorded in the Secretary's office at Perth Amboy 
in Lib : F. No. 2. Page 535 &c and Examin'd. 

THOS. BARTOW, Secy. 



VIII. 

ROYAL CHARTER OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 
OF MONMOUTH COUNTY. 

Granted Feb. 21, 1749. 

GEORGE THE SECOND by the grace of God of Great 
Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith 
&c To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting : 
Whereas the advancement of true religion and virtue is ab- 
solutely necessary for the promotion of the peace, order, 




112 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



and prosperity of the State ; And Whereas it is the duty of all Chris- 
tian princes and governors by the law of God to do all they can for the 
encouragement thereof ; And Whereas sundry of our loving subjects" 
inhabiting within the County of Monmouth within our Colony of 
New Jersey in behalf of themselves and others being of the Presb}'terian 
Persuasion by their humble petition presented to our trusty and well 
beloved Jonathan Belcher, Esq. our Captain General and Governor in 
Chief in and over our Province of New Jersey &c Chancellor and Vice 
Admiral of the same &c in Council showing That the petitioners and 
those of the same persuasion in the same County are very numerous 
and consist of several churches and congregations that the most advan- 
tageous support of religion amongst them necessarily requires that 
some persons among them should be incorporated as Trustees for the 
community that they may take grants of lands and chattels, thereby 
to enable the petitioners to erect and repair public buildings for the 
worship of God, and school houses and alms houses and for the main- 
tainance of the ministry and poor of their churches and other offices of 
piety and charity, and that the same Trustees may have power to let 
and grant the same under a public seal for the uses aforesaid, and that 
the same Trustees may plead and be impleaded in any suit touching 
the premises and have perpetual succession : That also the known 
loyalty of the petitioners and the Presbyterians in general to us their 
firm affection to our person and government and the Protestant suc- 
cession in our royal house gave the petitioners hopes of all reasonable 
indulgence and favor within the same colony where the religious rights 
of mankind are so happily preserved and where our equal grace and 
bounty to all our Protestant faithful subjects however differing in 
opinion about lesser matters has hitherto been so sensibly felt and 
enjoyed, the said petitioners therefore most humbly prayed 
our grant of an Incorporation to the petitioners by the name of 
THE TRUSTEES OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MON- 
MOUTH COUNTY w T ith all such powers capacities and privileges as 
might be effectual in law for the purposes aforesaid, and that John 
Little, Jun., Christopher Longstreet, Jonathan Forman, Esq., John 
Anderson, Esq., James Robinson, John Henderson, Stephen Pangburn, 
Esq., Robert Imlay, and Tobias Polhemus might be the first Trustees, 
which petition signed with the names of a large number of our faithful 
and loving subjects belonging to the Presbyterian churches and inhab- 
iting within the said county, we being willing to grant KNOW YE 
that we of our especial grace, certain knowledge and mere motion have 
willed, ordained, constituted, given and granted, and by these presents 
for us our heirs and successors do will, ordain, constitute, give and 
grant, that John Little, Jun., Christopher Longstreet, Jonathan For- 
man, Esq., John Anderson, Esq., James Robinson, John Henderson, 
Stephen Pangburn, Esq., Robert Imlay, and Tobias Polhemus from 
henceforth and their successors forever thereafter shall be and remain 
one body politic and corporate in re facto and nomine by the name of 
The Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County and 
them and their successors by the name of The Trustees of 
the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County one body cor- 
porate and in re facto and nomine really and fully, we do for 



APPENDIX. 



113 



us our heirs and successors erect, make, ordain, constitute, declare, 
and create by these presents and that by that name they shall and may 
have perpetual succession, and also that they and their successors by 
the name of The Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth 
County be and forever hereafter shall be persons able in law to pur- 
chase, take, hold, receive, and enjoy any messuages, houses, buildings, 
lands, tenements, rents, possessions, and other hereditaments and real 
estate in fee and forever or for term of life or lives or years or in any 
other manner so as the same exceed not at any one time the yearly 
value of seven hundred and fifty pounds sterling per annum beyond 
and above all charges and reprises the statute of mortmain or any oth- 
er law to the contrary notwithstanding and also goods, chatties, and 
all other things of what kind or quality soever : and also that they 
and their successors by the name of The Trustees of the Presbyterian 
Church of Monmouth County shall and may give, grant, demise, 
assign, sell, or otherwise dispose of all or any of the messuages, houses, 
buildings, lands, tenements, rents, possessions, and any other heredit- 
aments and real estate and all their goods, chatties, and other things 
aforesaid as to them shall seem meet at their own will and pleasure : 
and also that they and their successors by the name of The Trustees of 
the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County be and forever there- 
after shall be persons able in law and capable to sue and be sued, im- 
plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and 
be defended in all courts and places before us our heirs and successors 
and before us and any of the judges and justices, officers and ministers 
of us our heirs and successors in all and all manner of actions, suits, 
complaints, pleas, causes, matters, and demands whatsoever and of 
what kind or nature soever in as full and ample manner and form as 
any of our other liege subjects of our said province being persons able 
and capable in law can or may sue and be sued, implead and be im- 
pleaded, answer and be answered unto, defend and be defended, by any 
lawful ways and means whatsoever : and also that the said Trustees of 
the Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County for the time being and 
their successors shall and may forever hereafter have and use a com- 
mon seal with such device or devices as they shall think proper for 
sealing all and singular deeds, grants, conveyances, contracts, bonds, 
articles of agreement, assignments, powers, authorities and all and 
singular their affairs and things touching or concerning the said cor- 
poration : and by virtue of these our letters patent it shall and may be 
lawful to and for the said Trustees of the Presbyterian Church of 
Monmouth County and their successors for the time being as they 
shall see cause to brake, change, and new make the same seal, or any 
other common seal or seals when and as often as to them it shall seem 
convenient which Trustees by these presents appointed as aforesaid 
shall continue and remain the Trustee of the Presbyterian Church of 
Monmouth County with all the powers and authorities aforesaid until 
the first Tuesday in October next to come and until other Trustees be 
duly elected and chosen in their places in such manner as herein after 
is directed : and we do further of our special grace, certain knowledge, 
and mere motion for us our heirs and successors will, ordain, give and 
grant that the minister, elders, and deacons of the several particular 

8 



114 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKNEXT. 



Presbyterian churches and congregations within the said county of 
Monmouth may and shall meet and assemble together at Freehold in 
the said county on the first Tuesday in October next after the date of 
these our letters patent, and afterward at such time and times place 
and places within the said county as to them or the major part of 
them and their successors and the major part of their successors shall 
seem meet and convenient forever hereafter and then and there by 
plurality of voices or votes (by ballot) then meet, elect and choose out 
of the inhabitants of said count}' nine Trustees of the said Presbyterian 
Church of Monmouth Count}' which persons so hereafter to be elected 
and chosen Trustees as aforesaid shall be declared by indentures under 
the hand and seals of the majority of the electors then present and 
shall have all the powers and authorities of the above named Trustees 
given by these our letters patent and all and every such person and 
persons so to benewly chosen and appointed Trustees as aforesaid shall 
serve in their respective offices until other fit persons be in the same 
manner chosen and appointed in their respective rooms : and we do 
further will and ordain, give and grant that the Trustees of the said 
Presbyterian Church of Monmouth County and their successors for the 
time being shall from time to time have power to choose their Presi- 
dent out of the Trustees for the time being who shall have the custody 
of the public seal or seals of the said incorporation and all books, 
charters, deeds, and writings any way relating, to the said corporation 
and shall have power from time to time and at all times hereafter as 
occasion shall require to call a meeting of the said Trustees at such 
place within said county as he shall think most convenient for the 
execution of all or any of the power hereby given and granted, and in 
case of sickness, absence or death of the President all the powers by 
these presents granted to the President shall remain in the eldest or 
senior Trustee upon record until the recovery or return of the President 
or until a new President be chosen as aforesaid : and we do further 
will, ordain, give and grant that all and every act and order of five of 
the Trustees (but not of any lesser number) consented and agreed to 
at such meeting of the Trustees as aforesaid shall be good, valid, and 
effectual to all intents and purposes as if the whole number of the said 
Trustees had consented and agreed thereto : and we do further will 
and ordain that all the acts of the said Trustees or any five of them 
shall from time to time be fairly entered into a book or books to be 
kept for that purpose by the President of the Trustees for the time 
being which book or books together with the seal or seals of the said 
corporation and all charters, deeds, and writings whatsoever any way 
belonging to the said corporation shall be delivered over by the former 
President to the President of the said Trustees newly elected for the 
time being as such President shall hereafter from time to time succes- 
sively be chosen : And we do further will, ordain, give, and grant 
that if at any time hereafter the number of the Trustees shall be dimin- 
ished in the intervals of their election by the death or absence of any 
of the said Trustees that then it shall and may be lawful for any one 
minister and two elders of any particular Presbyterian church within 
the said county to call a meeting of the ministers, elders, and deacons 
of the several particular churches and congregations within the said 



APPENDIX. 



115 



county giving notice of the time thereof by writing under their hand 
to the ministers of the said several churches at least seven days before 
the time of such meeting which meeting shall be held at Freehold 
within the said county who may then and there by plurality of voices 
or votes then meet, elect, and choose out of the inhabitants of the said 
county so many Trustees for the said Presbyterian Church of Mon- 
mouth County as shall make up the number of nine Trustees living 
and inhabiting within the said county which person so to be elected 
and chosen shall be declared by indentures under the hands and seals 
of the majority of the electors then present to be chosen and elected in 
the place and room of such of the said Trustees as are then dead or ab- 
sent, and all and every such person or persons so newly chosen and ap- 
pointed as aforesaid shall have all the powers and authorities of the 
above named Trustees given by these our letters patent and shall serve 
in their respective offices until other fit persons be chosen and appoint- 
ed in their respective rooms : and we do further of our especial grace, 
certain knowledge, and mere motion for us our heirs and successors 
by these presents give and grant unto the said Trustees of the Presby- 
terian Church of Monmouth County and their successors forever that 
they and their successors all and singular the rights, privileges, pow- 
ers and capacities and authorities herein before mentioned or intended 
to be hereby granted shall and may forever hereafter have, hold, enjoy, 
and use without the impediment of us our heirs and successors or any 
of the justices, sheriffs, escheators, coroners, bailiffs, or other officers 
or ministers whatsoever of us our heirs or successors and that these 
our letters being entered upon record in our Secretary's office of New 
Jersey and the record and the enrollment and either of them and all 
and everything therein contained from time to time and at all times 
hereafter be and shall be firm, valid, good, sufficient, and effectual in 
law towards and against us our heirs and successors according to the 
true intent and meaning hereof and in and through all things shall be 
construed, taken, and expounded most beningly and in favor and for 
the most and greatest advantage, profit, and benefit of the Trustees of 
the said Presbyterian Church of the said County of Monmouth and 
their successors forever as well in all courts or elsewhere notwithstand- 
ing any defect, default, or imperfection may be found therein or any 
other cause or things whatsoever. IN TESTIMONY whereof we have 
caused these our letters to be made patent and the great seal of our 
said province to be hereunto affixed and the same to be entered of rec- 
ord in our Secretary's office in our said province of New Jersey in one 
of the books of records there remaining. Witness our trusty and well 
beloved Jonathan Belcher, Esq., our Captain General and Governor in 
chief of our said province of New Jersey Chancellor and Vice Admiral 
of the vSame &c by and with the advice and consent of our Council of 
our said province at Burlington the twenty-first day of February in the 
twenty-third year of our reign. 

J. BELCHER. 

I have perused and considered the within draught of the charter of 
incorporation and approve the same finding nothing therein contained 
but what is consistent with the honor and interest of the Crown. 

JOS. WARREIvL, Alt. Gen. 



116 HISTORY OF OLD TEOTTENT. 



The within charter is recorded in the Secretary's office at Perth Am- 
boy in Book C No. 2 of Commissions, Charters &c page 190 to 195 in- 
clusive. 

Examined by THOS. BARTOW, Secretary. 



IX. 

WALTER KER'S DESCENDANTS. 

[At present, (1897) they have reached to the number of about 2,000.] 

ONK LINE OF THE DESCENT IS HERE GIVEN. 
Abbreviations : b. — born. d. — died. m. — married, bap. — baptized, des. — descendants. 

1st Generation. 

Walter KER. b. 1656, d. June 10, 1748, and was buried on a hilly 
point of ground about one-half mile east of the present Tennent 
church building. He, with other Scotch nonconformists, was de- 
prived of his property and exiled under perpetual banishment upon 
the accession of James the Hnd. in 1685. Came to New Jersey and 

settled in Monmouth County, m. Margaret b. 1661, d. 1734. 

As nearly as can be ascertained left four sons, William, SAMUEL, 
Joseph, John. 

Hnd Generation. 

William Ker. (See Baptismal Records in Appendix). He had 9 
children : Margaret, bap. April 18, 1731, the first baptized in the 
new meeting-house on White Hill. Mary, bap. Nov. 4, 1733. 
Nathan, b. Sep. 7, 1736, d. 1804. The first of second wife's children. 
Educated at Princeton. Ordained by Presbytery of New Brunswick 
Aug. 17, 1763. Was pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Goshen, 
N. Y., for 38 years. Lefts children. Elizabeth, bap. Mar. 19, 1738; 
Hannah, bap. Aug. 31, 1740 ; Lydia, bap. Feb. 7, 1742 ; Sarah, bap. 
Sep. 18, 1743 ; Nathaniel, bap. Sep. 15, 1745 ; Waltar, bap. Dec. 
18, 1748. 

Samuel Ker. He had 11 children: Waltar, bap. Mar. 12, 1732; 
William, bap. Mar. 25, 1733 ; JOSEPH, bap. Sep. 22, 1734 ; Eliza- 
beth, bap. Nov. 15, 1735, d. Dec. 31, 1755 ; Isbela bap. Mar. 20, 
1737 ; Jacob, bap. Dec. 17, 1738 ; Samuel, bap. Dec. 6, 1740, d. 
Nov. 18, 1763 ; Rachel, bap. June 20, 1742 ; John, bap. Feb. 12, 
1744 ; Catharine, bap. Mar. 16, 1746 ; Stephen, bap. April 28, 1751. 

Joseph Ker. m. Margaret . She was b. 171 1, d. Dec. 20, 1745. 

He had 11 children: Mary, bap. Oct. 20, 1734; Margaret, bap. 
June 4, 1738 ; Ursula, bap. 1742 ; Sarah, bap. July 8, 1744 ; Waltar, 
bap. Aug. 11, 1745 ; Euphunea, bap. Mar. 13, 1748, the first child of 
2d wife ; Ursulla, bap. Aug. 6, 1749 ; Anna, bap. Jan. 1, 1751 ; Eb- 
enezar, bap. Nov. 25, 1754 ; Tydia, bap. Sep. 19, 1756 ; Rachel, bap. 
March 23, 1760. 



TOMBSTONE OF WALTER KER IN 1897, FATHER OF 
OLD TENNENT CHURCH. 
(Photographed by L- R. Cheeseman, Freehold, N. J.) 



APPENDIX. 



117 



John Ker. He had 2 children : Rebecca, bap. July 19, 1732 ; Joseph, 
bap. May 5, 1734. 

IIIrd generation. 

Joseph Kerr, son of Samuel, b. 1733, d. 1824. m. Elsie Hampton, 
b. 1734, d. 1796. He left 10 children : SAMUEL, b. 1757, d. 1824, 
many des. ; Elizabeth (Kerr) Green, b. 1759, many des.; William 
Hampton, b. 1761, d. 1798, many des.; Catherine (Kerr) Beavers, b. 
1763, many des.; Gertrude (Kerr) Hazen, b. 1765, many des.; Lewis, 
b. 1768, many des.; Jacob, b. 1771, d. 1855, many des.; Lydia, b. 
1774, d. 1796 ; Aaron, b. 1776, many des.; Joseph, Jr., b. 1778, d. 
1802. 

IVth Generation. 

Samuel Kerr, son of Joseph, b. 1757, d, 1824. m. Rhoda Beckerer, 
b. Jan. 12, 1757. He left 10 children : Joseph, b. 1781, many des. ; 
John, b. 1782, nodes.; Robert, b. 1784, nodes.; SAMUEL, b. 1786, 
d. 1844, many des.; Abram, b. 1788 ; Gertrude (Kerr) Scott, b. 1789, 
had 12 children, and a large number of des.; Jacob, b. 1792 ; Lewis, 
b. 1794 ; Aaron, b. 1796, many des.; Walter, b. 1798, many des. 

Vth Generation. 

Samuel Kerr, son of Samuel, b. 1786, d. 1844. m. Jane Nevin, b. 
1789, d. 1868. He left 11 children ; Margaret (Kerr) Pew, (1st hus- 
band) and Satterlee (2d husband), b. 1815, d. 1890, many des.; John 
N., b. 1822, d. 1890, nodes.; Joseph H., b. 1824, d. 1895, two chil- 
dren ; Mary Jane (Kerr) McClure, b. 1825, d. 1886, many des.; An- 
drew W., b. 1827, two children ; George H., b. 1829, nodes.; Martha 
M. (Kerr) Fleming, b. 1832, many des.; Sarah E. (Kerr) Marshall, 
( 1 st husband) and Putnam (2d husband), b. 1834, three children; 
Charlotte I, (Kerr) McKee, b. 1836, no des.; SAMUEL M., b. 1839, 
two children ; Robert A., M. D., b. 1841, many des. 

VIth Generation. 

Samuel M. Kerr, son of Samuel, b. 1830. m. Mary Dearment, b. 
1841. He had two children: FRANK MELVILLE, b. 1866; 
Jennie Nevin. 

VIIth Generation. 

Frank Melville Kerr, son of Samuel M., b. 1866. m. Evelyn 
Nichols. He is now (1897) pastor of the Presbyterian Church in 
Hempstead, Long Island. He has one child : Samuel Stewart 
Melville Kerr, b. 1893. 



[Note. — The above list was prepared by Samuel M. Kerr, Adamsville, Pa., who earn- 
estly desires correspondence with all persons that are able to give authentic information 
concerning the Kerr family, in order to complete the genealogy.] 



118 



HISTORY OF OLD TENKEisT. 



X. 

Early Baptismal Records in Old Tennent Church, Mostly 
During the Pastorate of Rev. William Tennent, Jr. 

Note. — The pages of this old Record are so soiled, broken and worn with age that in 
some cases it is impossible to distinguish the full dates and names. Some unhappy ref- 
erences in the original record have been omitted in this printed list. The records are 
mostly in the handwriting of John Henderson, clerk of the congregation. 

Lord's Day, October 5, 1735, was Baptized Jacob, Rebeca and 

Children of Benjamin Applegate. 

Lord's Day, August 8, 1736, was Baptized Elizabeth and Hannah, 
Daughters of Thomas Applegate, (the Son of John). 

Lord's Day, November 27, was Baptized Lydia, Daughter of Zebu- 
Ion Applegate. 

Lord's Day, Sept. 18, 1763, was Baptized Amie a Negro Woman of 
Wm, Williamson's, Son of A , on profession of her Faith. 

Thomas Adams had bap. Joseph, Jan. 21, 1731 ; James, Sep. 24, 1732. 

Mr. Anderson's son John was bap. Aug. 28, 1748. 

John Anderson, Esq'r had bap. Helena, Jan. 28, 1733 ; Kenneth, 

Nov. 7, — 4 ; Ursilla, July 11, ; Elizabeth, July 4, ; James, 

July 6, ; Kenneth — the first Kenneth being Deceased, July 4, ; 

Ursilla, June 3, ; Lewis, Sep. 27, ; Margaret, Oct. 13, 175L 

William Allen had bap. Sarah, Jan. 8, — 1; Janet, Apr. 1, — 6. 

David Adams. Margaret, Said David's Wife made open profession 
of Faith Apr. 28, 1734, and had bap. Hannah, Sarah, David, Children 
of Said David & Margaret Adams ; James, May 2, 1736. 

Daniel Allen, Dec. 15, 1734, Baptized upon open Profession of his 
Faith. 

William Addudel had bap. William, Aug. 22, 1736 ; Isbela — Bap- 
tized at a Society, Oct. 6, 1737; John Murray, a Child he took to bring 
up, March 19, 1738. 

William Annesley had bap. Thomas, Mar. 20, 1737; July 

16, 1738; William & Rebeca, Twins, Sep. 2, 1744. 

Zebulon Applegate had bap. Zebulon, June 2, 1754; Nathaniel, Ma}- 
23> 1756. 

Joshua Anderson had bap. Sarah, May 11, 1766; Elleonar, June 7, 
1772; Cathrine, June 16, 1776. 

William Anderson had bap. Sarah, April 19, 1767; William, June 
ir, 1769. 

John Anderson, Son of James, had bap. Lewis, Sep. 1, 1771 ; Cath- 
erine, — , ; Elizabeth, June 26, 1774 ; Anna, Nov. 26, 1775. 

John Allwood, had bap. Joseph, Ma}' 9, 1779. 

David Barkla} T , had bap. William, his first Child by Elizabeth 
Walker, alias Barclay, May 19, 1751 ; George, April , 1753 ; Catha- 
rine, Jan. 18, 1756; Esther, Nov. 19, 1758; Rachel, Nov. 22, 1761. 

Ezekiel Bennit had bap. Abraham, Nov. 18, 1753; Margaret, June 
— , 1756; Leah, Nov. 25, 1758; Cornelius, May 6, 1762; John, Sept. 
24, 1766. 

Andrew Brannan married to Jane Sweetman ; had bap. Jane, Oct. 

2, 1757. Presented by the Father and Grandmother, the Mother 

in Child bed. 



APPENDIX. 



119 



Peter Benham had bap. John, Robert, Peter, Richard, Amey & Cath- 
arine, all Baptized at once, presented by their Father and their mother- 
in-law Hannah which had been Clayton, May 31, 1759. 

David Brooks had bap. Jonathan, July 15, 1759 ; Agnos, Sept. 6, 
1761 ; David, April 8, 1764; these three presented by the Mother; 
David Brooks the father Baptized on profession of his own Faith, Jan. 
4, 1767 ; Hannah, presented by Father & Mother, July 10, 1768. 

John Bonnel, had bap. Isaac, Nov. 20, 1737. 

John Benham, had bap. Benjamin, Dec. 17, 1738 ; Nealtie at home, 

being dangerously sick, Dec. 2, 1742 ; Joseph, 1744- 

Samuel Buckalue, had bap, John, June 12, 1743. 

Samuel Breese, of Shrewsbury, had bap. Samuel Byard, by the Rev. 
Mr. Woodhull, May 2, 1779. 

Patrick Brown, had bap. Thomas, May 6, 1744. 
James Bryson, had bap. Nancy, June 3, 1770. 

Adam Boise, had bap. Cornelius, July 22, 1744; Molley or Mary, 
Aug. 10, 1746 ; Anne, April 30, 1749 ; Elizabeth, about 3 years old, & 
Matthias, about 3 months old, June 9, 1754 ; Martha, Aug. 10, 1755 ; 
, May 28, 1758. 

David Baird, had bap. Mary, May, . 

Robert Barclay, had bap. Lewis, Oct. 18, 1761. 

Arthur Brown, had bap. William, Jan. 23, 1731 ; Thomas, July 21, 
1734- 

Edward Barber, had bap. Sarah, March 14, 173 1 . 
James Brown, had bap. John, Oct. 17, 1731 ; Robert ; Joseph ; 
Solomon. 

John Berry, had bap. Mary, Nov. 25, 1731 ; Thomas, Nov. 4, 1733 ; 
Isabella, Jan. 22, 1738 ; David, May 18, 1741 ; John, Feb. 27, 1743 ; 
Sidney, June 30, 1745 ; Ebenezar, July 19, 1747 ; Samuel, March 5, 
1749. 

Mary Baird, wife of John Baird, had bap. Grace, a Child she was to 
bring up, Aug. 4, 1734. 

Arthur Brown, had bap. Margaret, March 27, 1737 ; Andrew, July 15, 
1739- 

Capt. John Barclay, had bap. Robert, Sep. 16, 1737 ; Catharine, June 
13, 1742 ; Richard, June 30, 1745. 

Thomas Brown, married Daughter of Capt. Barclay, had bap. John, 
July 28, 1765 ; David, June 28, 1767 ; William, Aug. 13, 1769 ; Cath- 
erine, Dec. 1, 1771 ; Mary, March 13, 1774. 

David Carlile, had bap. William, Dec. 9, 1739. 

John Chambers, Cordwainer, had bap. William & James, the Bap- 
tism of the first Deferred till this day, June 15, 1740 ; Margaret, March 
6, 1743 ; Elizabeth, his Wife, & Bridget, his Daughter, April 26, 1747 ; 
John, April 1, 1749 ; James, June 2, 175 1 ; William, June 24, 1753 ; 
Mary, May 3, 1756. 

Janet Carswell, (alias) Reed, had bap. Sarah, July 12, 1741 . 

Jonathan Combs, had bap. William, June ir, 1742 ; Robert, April 
24, 1744 ; John, June 1, 1746. 

Peter Clark, had bap. Peter, Aug. 11, 1745. 

John Craig, son of Archibald, he was married about a year ago to 
Anna, daughter of Capt. John Barclay, Esq., had bap. Catharine, 



120 



HISTORY OF OLD TEMEOT. 



Nov. 18, 1750; Samuel, Feb. 19, 1752 ; Archibald, April 21, 1754; 
Peter, May 23, 1756 ; Anne, by his second wife, John Reed's Daughter, 
April 4, 1762 ; William, April 15, 1764 ; Mary, March 15, 1766. 

Jonathan Clayton, son of John, had bap. John, May 6, 1764 ; Amie, 
July 31, 1768. 

John Campbell, his 2d wife Henritia Cowenhoven, had bap. William, 
April 14, 1765 ; Elizabeth, April 12, 1767. 

John Craig, Merchant, married Jane, widow of David English, had 
bap. Mary, June 29, 1766 ; Charit}', Aug. 20, 1769 ; Daniel, June 12, 
1774. 

Jacob Cole, had bap. Rebekah, his Wife on profession of her Faith, 
& Benjamin his son an Infant, Aug. 7, 1768; John, June 13, 1773; 
Danniel, Feb. 27, 1780. 

Asher Clayton had bap. Elizabeth, June 23, 1776. 

Wm. Covenhoven, Jr., had bap. Jane, Feb. 23, 1772 ; Elshie, April 
24, 1774. 

Joseph Combs, S. T., had bap. David, June 27, 1773 ; Elizabeth, 
Feb. 5, 1775 ; Thomas, May 18, 1777. 

Joseph Combs had bap. Elizabeth, Oct. 12, ; Mary, 15, . 

Wm. Cole, deceased. James & Margaret presented by the Widow, 
their Mother, May 29, 1737 ; Mary, upon profession of her own faith, 
Nov. 3, 1745. 

Samuel Craig had bap. Elizabeth, Sep. 16, ; John, Jan. 21, ; 

William, March 15, ; Ursilla, May 1, ; Mary, Nov. 3, . 

John Combs, son of Thomas, had bap. James, Dec. 14, — 5 ; Charles, 
Sept. 9, — 9 ; John, Aug. 25, 1771 ; Jonathan, Oct. 17, 1773. 

Joseph Cowenhoven, son of William, had bap. Ealenor, March 13, 
1757. 

Daniel Covert, had bap. Peter, Feb. 4, 1776 ; Mary, Sept. 21, 1778. 

Williamtye Cowenhoven, Widow of Elias Cowenhoven, Baptized 
on publick profession of her Faith, May 22, 1757. 

Peter Cowenhoven, son of William, had bap. Mary by his Wife 
Anne, daughter of Thomas Davies, May 19, 1751 ; Eewis, Oct. 16, 1752 ; 

Thomas, Feb. 1756 ; Elizabeth & Phebe twin children, June 26, 

1768. 

Thomas Craig, had bap. John, Oct. 27, 1751 ; David, Jan. 19, 1755. 
Thomas Craven, had bap. Peter, Feb. 9, 1752. 

William Compton, had bap. Lucia, Feb. 25, 1753; John, May 11, 
1755; Elizabeth, Oct. 1756; Joseph, May 4, 1760. 

John Cowenhoven, son of Albert, had bap. David, March 4, 1753. 

David Cowenhoven, son of William, had bap. Sarah, Oct 26, 1755 ; 
John, Mar. 26, 1758; Anne, Aug. 17, 1760; David, July 10, 1763; 
Garret, May 11, 1766 ; Elizabeth, June 25, 1769. 

Albert Cowenhoven, the son of William, had bap. Elizabeth, May 

13, 1759 ; Feb. 14, 1762 ; Eleanor, presented by the 

mother, the father being dead, June 14, 1764. 

Sammuel Craig, son of John, Deacon, had bap. John, June 27, 1773. 

Peter Clark, had bap. Elizabeth, by a second wife, July 22, 1759. 

William Clayton, son of Abraham, had bap. Thomas, April 15, 1764. 

William Cahale, had bap. Anne, May 18, 1760. 

Wm. Covenhovn, son of Benjamin, had bap. Cathrine, Aprile 7, 1775. 



APPENDIX. 



121 



Garret Cowenhoven, had bap. Gertrude, Aug. 17, 1760. 

William Cole, had bap. David, May 1, 1763 ; Zilpah, June 29, 1766. 

John Calvert, had bap. William, May 14, 1775 ; Michael by Mr. 
Smith, May io, 1778 ; Mary, by Mr. Woodhull, June 20, 1779. 

Isaac Cowenhoven, son of William, had bap. Sarah and Eleanor, 
July 10, 1763 ; Elizabeth, Feb. 23, 1766 ; Thomas, Sep. 13, 1767. 

William Craige, son of Archd. Craig, Esqr., had bap. James, ; 

David Dec. 6, 1755; Samuel, May 17, 1758; Mary, Apr. 25, 1760; 
John, June 6, 1762 ; Anne, May 6, 1764 ; Ursila, May 18, 1766 ; Mar- 
garet Oct. 30, 1768. 

John Covenhovn, son of Wm. Millar, had bap. Cathrine, July 14, 
1 771 ; Abigale, June 13, 1773 ; William, Aug, 7, 1774 ; John, Aprle 21, 
; Sammuel, . 

William Craig, had bap. James, ; Alexander, Jan. 28, . 

Wm. Cowenhoven, son of Peter, had bap. Mary, Aug. 1, 

1 73 1-2 D & Eleanor Campbell joined in Wedlock Feb. 24. 

Charles Carson, had bap. Daniel, Feb. 21, . 

Thomas Combs had bap. Thomas, Sept. 24, ; Elizabeth, Feb. 9, 

; Joseph, Aug. 28, 1743- 

Abraham Clayton, had bap. himself, and Martha his daughter by 

Mr. Wales, Jan. 28, ; Mary, Feb. 9, ; Rachel, June 12, ; 

Abraham & William, Baptized at home because amiss, June 26, 1746. 

Wm. Clark, deceased. Elizabeth, bap. April 29, . Presented 

by her Aunt, Ann Reed. 

Charles Carson, had bap. Francis, Sep. 16, ; Joseph, Aug. 8, . 

Andrew Crawford, had bap. Gideon and James, Baptism being neg- 
lected to the first, Sept. 16, ; William and Ursilla, at the same 

time was Baptized Mary his wife upon profession of her Faith, 

12, ; John, and Andrew Home, not twins, June 27, . 

Robert Cumming, had bap. Mar}', Feb. 12, . 

Hannah Craig, had bap. Leah, 19, . 

William Crawford, had bap. Margaret, June, 4, ; Said Crawford 

married said Hannah Craig ; William Redford, May 4, ; Gertrude, 

May 23, ; Perregrine, April 21, ; Lewis, July 19, ; Lydia, 

May 13, . 

Nicholas Cook, had bap. Thomas, March 26, ; John, Aug. 11, 

; Elizabeth, June 8, ; Rachel, April 17, ; Hannah, April 

6, ; George, April 24, 8 ; Jonathan, Sept. 16, o ; Ben- 
jamin, Oct. 17, 6. 

Moses Craig, had bap. Thomas a son, & Catharine a daughter, April 

13, 5- 

Wm. Cowenhoven, son of Peter, had bap. William, Sep. 28, 1735 ; 
Samuel, Sep. 24, 1738 ; Sarah, Aug. 5, 1744 ; John, Aug. 24, 1746. 

Abraham Clayton, had bap. Thomas, June 5, . 

Samuel Crawford, had bap. Reyntie & Keturah, both this da} r , Aug. 
25. *745- 

John Craig, son of Archibald, had bap. James, March 27, 1768 ; John, 
April 26, 1772 ; Lewis, Feb. 26, 1775. 

Robert Cuming was married to Mary Noble, Jan. 8, 1746, being his 
second wife, had bap. Catharine, the first Child of the Second Mar- 
riage, Ma} T 1, 174S; Anna, (Alias Agnos), May 27, 1750; John, at a 

9 



122 HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



Catechising at Mr. A. Mattison's, Feb. 5, 1752 ; Margaret, July 28, 
1754- 

Benjamin Clark, had bap. Mary, June 18, 1749 ; Elizabeth, April 15, 
1753 ; Alexander, June 9, 1754 ; Andrew, April 18, 1756. 

Richard Conipton, had bap. Joseph, May 6, 1750. 

Joseph Clayton, son of John, had bap. Himself & his Wife Hannah, 
on profession of their Faith, & then their Son John, Nov. 6, 1757 ; 
Joseph, Sep. 17, 1778. 

Thomas Combs, Jr., had bap. Solomon, April 9, 1758 ; Rachel, Oct. 

18, 1761 ; Esther, June 14, 1764. 

Daniel Clark, had bap. John, Aug. , 1758. 

Frederick Deboogh, had bap. Frances, a Daughter, Jan. 21, 1; 

Sarah, Jan. 8, 4. 

William Davison had bap. presented by the Mother, Sep. 

24, 1732. 

John Davison, had bap. Mary, presented by the Mother, Jan. 28, 1733. 

Robert Davison had bap. John, Dec. 29, 1734; William, July 11, 
1736; Alice, Jan. 13, 1740; Robert, May 23, 1742; David, Oct. 15, 1752. 

Hannah Brown, (Alias Deboogh), had bap. Thomas, April 6, 1755. 

Isaac Dey had bap. Hannah, May 4, 1735 ; Gilbert, Aug. 13, 1738 ; 
Isaac, May 10, 1741 ; Sarah, Aug. 21, 1743. 

Frederick Deboogh, had bap. Isaac, May 2, 1736 ; Benjamin, Nov. 
13. 1737- 

John Davison, blacksmith, had bap. Mar3 T , Sept. 9, 1739. 

William Deveny, had bap. William, Sep. 1, 1745. 

John Drommond, deceased. Ruth Drommond, a young Woman 
grown, bap. May 25, 1752, on profession of her Faith. 

William Devinne}^ had bap. John, May 10, , by Mr. Smith. 

Joseph Dennis, a Man above 60 years of Age, Baptized upon profes- 
sion of his Faith, April 14, . 

Dinah, Negro Wench of Hendrick Voorhees, bap. upon profession of 
her Faith. 

John Davies had bap. Catharine, April 16, 1757. 

James Denham. John, baptized Aug. 5, 1759, on profession of his 
own faith, being a young man grown. 

Aaron Davis, had bap. Jannet, June 5, 1774 ; Aaron, March 30, 1777. 

John Davison. His wife, Elizabeth, baptized on profession of her 
faith, & James his son, July 9, 1775. 

Abraham Egburg, had bap. Polley, Presented by the Mother, Oct. 
3I.I779- 

Michael Errukson, had bap. Thomas, May 5, 4 ; Susanna, Aug. 

19, 9. 

James English, had bap. Elizabeth, March 23, 1734; Jonathan, 
March 19, 1738 ; John, Sept. , 1739; James, Son of his Sou James 
Deceased, July 10, 1768. 

David English, had bap. Mary, & his Apprentice William Cole, 
March 20, 1737 ; Jane, Sept. 24, 1738 ; David, March 17, 1741 ; Mar- 
garet, Aug. 26, 1744. 

Mr. Thomas Eaton, (Son of John Eaton, of Shrewsbury), a merchant 
in New York, Baptized on profession of his own Faith, Aug, 20, 1749. 



APPENDIX. 



123 



George Eagger, had bap. William, May 6, 1750; Daniel, April 26, 
1752 ; both presented by the father, the mother not joining. 

Elizabeth Eaton & Johannah Eaton, (Daughters of John Eaton, Esqr. 
Deceased), Young women grown, Baptized on profession of their own 
Faith, Aug. 5, 1750. 

Michael Errickson, Jr., had bap. John, Dec. 3, 1752. 

David English, son of James, had bap. Jane, Nov. 30, ; Marga- 
ret, July — , 1758 ; David, Oct. 24, 1760, Being a Thanksgiving Day ; 
James Robinson, May 1, 1763, Presented by the Mother Dead. 

Cornelius Erwing, had bap. James, Phebe, Cornelius, Daniel & Jo — 
Sep. 10, 1758 ; Baptized at one time & presented by the father & . 

Jonathen English married Wm. Laird's daughter Elizabeth, May — , 

1763 ; had bap. Margaret, June 3, 1764 ; Elizabeth, June 29, 1766 ; 
David, May 14, 1769. 

George Elliot, had bap. Alexander, June 10, 1764. 

Thomas Errickson, had bap. Janet, April 14, 1765 ; James, May 15, 
1768; Timothy, Aprile 21, 1771 ; Sammuel, Aug. 22, 1773; Susanna, 
June 1, 1777. 

Robert English, son of James, married Robert Montgomerie, Esqrs. 
daughter Jane ; had bap. Robert, Sep. 22, 1765. 
John Freeman had bap. Mary Howel, June 29, 1777. 

Jonathan Forman, Esqr., had bap. David, 4, . 

David Forman, had bap. Jonathan, June 4, 1758 ; Samuel, Sept. 19, 

1764 ; Daniel, June 11, 1769. 

Aaron Forman deceased's Children. George and Priscilla, these 

two made profession of the Faith for themselves, Jan. 23, ; Lewis, 

Andrew, Lydia, Phebe, Robert, these five were presented by their 
Mother who engaged for their Instruction in the Faith. 

Peter Forman, had bap. Anne, Jan. 27, ; Jonathan, April 5, ; 

Mary, April 9, , the Fast Day before the L. Supper ; Jane, Jan. 2r, 

; William, Oct. 6, ; Ealeanor, Sep. 9, ; Peter, Apr. 4, 

— 6 ; Samuel, Dec. 11, — 7 ; Heleana, Sep. 9, 1759 ; Lydia, Jan. 31, 
1762. 

Aaron Forman. Elizabeth, the Wife of Said Aaron Baptized upon 
profession of her Faith, Oct. 29, 1748. 

Samuel Forman, had bap. Catharine, June — , 1753 ; Jonathan, Dec. 
14, 1755- 

George Forman, had bap. Aaron, Dec. 6, 1755. 

Jonathan Gordon, had bap. Ambrose, July 1, 1750 ; Priscilla, Apr. 
26, 1752 ; Ezekiel, Aug. 4, 1754 ; Jane, Apr. 17, 1757 ; Catharine, June 
1, 1760 ; Elizabeth, Jan. 22, 1764 ; Lewis, Apr. 6, 1766. 

Samuel Goodenough, had bap. Mary, June 5, 1757 ; Sarah, May 7, 
1758. 

John Gaston, Jr., whose Father was Murthered by the Indians ; had 
bap. William, Sep. 6, 1761 ; Joseph, July 17, 1763 ; John, Apr. 14, 

1765 ; Samuel & James, Twin Children, Apr. 12, 1767. 

Charles Gordeu, son of David Gordon, had bap. — , 1762 ; 

Hannah. Oct. 7, 1764. 

Daniel gaston, had bap. John, Aprile 14, 1776. 
John Gordon, had bap. Lydia, June 15, 1740. 

David Gordon, had bap. Charles, Jan. 31, 1742 ; John, Sep. 11, 1743 ; 



124 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



Elizabeth, June i, 1746 ; William, Apr. 3, 1748 ; David, May 27, 1750 ; 
Hannah, June 28, 1752 ; Alice, Sept. 21, 1754 ; Peter, Apr. 15, 1759 ; 
Lewis, Nov. 22, 1761. 

Charles Gordon, had bap. Robert, Sep. 17, 1742; Mary, the first 
child by Gertrude his Second Wife, which had been George Walker's 
Wife & Widow, Dec. 11, 1748. 

Hugh Greeg, had bap. William, July 10, 1743 ; Hugh, June 16, 1745 ; 
James, Sept. 27, 1746. 

Elias Golden, had bap. John, Aug. 23, 1747. 

James Graham, had bap. Anne & Sarah, at home, July 26, 1731. 

John Glendinnen, had bap. John, Sep. 16, 1733. 

Peter Gordon, had bap. William & Elizabeth, twins, Nov. 3, 1734 ; 
Catharine, Oct. 17, 1736 ; Alice Apr. 15, 1739 ; Margaret, the first 
child by his Second wife, Mary Craig, Jan. 8, 1744; Peter, Nov. 3, 
1745 ; Archibald, Feb. 21, 1748 ; Mary, Mar. 4, 1750 ; Sarah, Jan. 5, 
1752 ; Lewis, July 7, 1754. 

John Graham, had bap. Mary, Mar 4, 1739. 

John Gaston, had bap. Mary, Dec. 9, 1739 ; James, Mar. 28, 1742 ; 
Hugh, July 15, 1744 ; Mary & Elizabeth, Twin Children, Mar. 8, 1747 ; 
Daniel, Apr. 3, 1749 ; Catharine, June 2, 175 1 ; John, Jan. 20, 1754 ; 
William, July 18, 1756 ; Jane, Mar. 25, 1759. 

William Hults, had bap. Jane, Sep. 19, 1764 ; Margaret, Apr. 13, 
1766 ; William, May 14, 1769 ; Peter, July 28, 1771 ; Jane, May 8, 
1774. 

Coneraed Hendrickson, had bap. Elizabeth, Nov. 22, 1761. 
Samuel Harvey, had bap. Thomas, June 24, 175 1 . 
Thomas Hankinson, son of Robr., had bap. Margaret, presented by 
the Mother, Hugh McFerrin's daughter, Apr. 4, 1762. 
James Hill, had bap. Elizabeth, Aug. 24, 1755. 

William Hendrickson Maried Charity Robinson, Dec. 23, 1757 ; had 
bap. John, Nov. 19, 1757. 

Samuel Heriot, son-in-law to Joseph Ker, had bap. Margaret, June 
15, 1760. 1 

Keirieth Hankinson, had bap. Keiueth, June 7, 1772 ; Lyidia, June 
19, 1774. 

John Henderson, Jr., had bap. Elizabeth, Feb. 4, 1762; Borne 23 
Dec. 1 76 1. Anne, March 27, 1763; Borne 21 Jan. 1763. William, 

June 2, 1765 ; March 31, 1765. Jane, June 7, 1767 ; Borne 2 May, 

1767; Deceased Sept. 27, 1773. Thomas, Apr. 15, 1770; Borne 9th 
Day february, 1770. Mary, Aprile, 26, 1772 ; Borne 8th Day of March, 
1772. John, June 12, 1774 ; Borne 18th Day of Aprile, 1774. Charles 
Lee, Oct. 7, 1776 ; Borne 27th Day of July, 1776. Jane the Second, 
Aprile — 1779 ; Borne 21st Day of Octobr., 1778. Elizabeth, Aprile 
29, 1782 ; Borne 26th Day of Octobr., 17.81. 

John Hutton, had bap. Mary, Oct. 6, 1734. 
. Richard Haukins, had bap. Hugh, Aug. 29, 1736 ; Rachel, Apr. 2, 
1742 ; Euphunia, May 14, 1744 ; all presented by the mother, who is 
John Fraizer's daughter. 

William Huggon, had bap. Joseph, May 29, 1737 ; Elizabeth, by his 
Second W T ife, June 24, 1758 ; Sarah, Sept. — , 1759. 



APPENDIX. 



125 



Charles Hibbets, had bap. James, May 29, 1737 ; Mary, Sep. 9, 1739 ; 
Charles, Nov. 1, 1741 ; Elizabeth, May 6, 1744. 

Silvester Hughs, on Profession of his Faith, Sep. 24, 1738. 

Hendrick Hanse. Janatie or Jane, presented by the Mother, Mar. 2, 
1746. 

William Hampton, Widw., Maried Wid. Gertrude Craig, had bap. 

Samuel, their first child that lived, July 2, 1749 ; Gertrude, , 1751 ; 

Catharine, Apr. 13, 1755. 

John Henderson, had bap. Jane the Second, May 19, 1751. 

Hannah, an Old Negro Wench of the widow of Cornelius Cowen- 
hoven, Deceased, bap. upon profession of her faith, June 17, 1744 ; 
Aged above 80 years. 

John Henderson, had bap. Jane, The first Child ever the Rev. Mr. 
John Tennent Baptized, Dec. 26, 1730. Jane Henderson stept in the 
Lord Jan. 4, 1749; Elizabeth, by Mr. Wales, Jan. 28, 1733; Married 
June 19, 1755. Anne, by Mr. Wm. Tennent, Jr., Feb. 9, 1735 ; De- 
ceased June 18, 1748. Stevens Nicholas, Apr. 24, 1737 ; Deceased 
Nov. 27, 1737. Michael, Jan. 22, 1739. John, Oct. 3, 1741. Thomas, 
Aug. 28, 1743 ; he married Mary, daughter of Jno. Hendricks, Sep. 23, 
1767. Margaret, Apr. 27, 1746 ; She Maried Wm. Tinney, July 23, 
1769. Anne, the Second, Dec. 18, 1748 ; Deceased June 13, 1749. 

Hannah Hankinson, bap. on the profession of her own Faith, Feb. 
24, 1732, Aged 13 yrs. 

Joseph Hankinson & Thomas, his son, bap. Feb. 24, 1734 ; The 
father having made a publick profession of his faith ; Aaron, Apr. 4, 
1736 ; William, Nov. 27, 1737 ; Anne, Mar. ir, 1739 ; John and Joseph, 
after his Removal to Readington, Oct. 19, 1746. 

William Hampton, had bap. Isabella, Feb. 24, 1734 ; Timothy, Oct. 
5, 1735 ; Alice, Nov. 6, 1737; John, Jan. 13, 1740; Lewis, June 13, 
1742 ; Elizabeth, Aug. 15, 1744. 

William Hughs Daughters. Catharine, bap. Jan. 26, 1766; Margaret, 
1766, on profession of their owen faith. 

Michael Henderson, had bap. John, Feb. 17, 1766 ; James Anderson, 
July 19, 1767. 

Samuel Henderson, married George Rhes daughter Margaret, had bap. 
David, Nov. 1, 1767 ; William, 1770. 

James Herbert, married Wm. Cowenhoveu Albs. Daughter Elizabeth, 
had bap. , June 10, 1770. 

Richard Herbert, had bap. Cathrine, April 4, 1776. 

Doctor Thomas Henderson, had bap. Mary, Oct. 2, 1779. 

William Jolley, had bap. David, Apr. 25, 1732. 

William Johnston, had bap. James Montgomery, Aprile 14, 1776 ; 
William, Feb, 14, 1779. 

Joseph Johnson, had bap. John, May 5, 1734 ; Grifith, July 27, 1735. 

Abraham Jones, had bap. Elenor Robinson, presented by the mother, 
Feb. 19, 1775. 

Mihael Johnston, Maried to Euphenia Watson May 17, 1750, had 
bap. Peter their first Child, Aug. 12, 1751 ; Mary, Feb. 18, 1753, De- 
ceased Sept. 1754 ; John, Mar. 2, 1755 ; Mary, June 22, 1757, De- 
ceased 1764; William Watson, Sept. 30, 1759; Jane, July 5, 

1761 ; Margaret, July 10, 1763 ; Michael, July 7, 1765 ; Thomas, Jan. 



126 



HISTOR Y OF OLD TENKENT. 



22, 1768, Baptized at a Catechising at Mr. Cooks ; Joseph, May 9, 1772, 
his Mother was Buried the same Day. 

Hendrick Johnson, had bap. James, Aug, 19, 1753; Mar} T , July 31, 
1757; Mindert, Oct. 7, 1759; Samuel, Jan. 15, 1764. 

John Jewel, had bap. Jane, July 9, 1769. 

John Jammison, had bap. William, May 14, 1775. 

Catharine Job, daughter of Geo. Job Jr., Feb. 8, 1756, Baptized on 
profession of her own faith. 

Jaef a Negro Man of Roelef Schenck Brewer Baptized Sep. 27, 1747, 
on profession of his faith. 

Joseph Ker, had bap. Mary, Oct. 20, 1734 ; Margaret, June 4, 1738 ; 

Ursula, , 1742 ; Sarah, July 8, 1744 ; Waltar, Aug. 11, 1745 ; 

Enphunea, the first child to his Second Wife, Mar. 13, 1748 ; Ursulla, 
Aug. 6, 1749 ; Anna, Jan. 1, 1751 ; Ebinezer, Nov. 25, 1754 ; Lydia, 
Sep. 19, 1756. 

Richard King, had bap. Robert, March 4, 1736 ; James, Sept. 4, 
1737- 

Walter Ker, son of Samuel, had bap. Ezekiel, Apr. 30, 1758 ; Wat- 
son, Mar. 1, 1 76 1 ; Sarah, May 13, 1764. 
Joseph Ker, had bap. Rachel, March 23, 1760. 

Kate, a Negro Wench of Bsnj. Van Cleef's, March 14, 1742, on pro- 
fession of her faith. 

Joseph Kinnan, had bap. Ealeanor, Nov. 18, 1753. 

William Ker, had bap. Margaret, April 18, 1731, the first Baptized 
in the New Meeting House ; Mary, Nov. 4, 1733 ; Nathan, Oct. 3, 
1736, the first of his Second Wife's Children; Elizabeth, March 19, 
1738; Hannah, Aug. 31, 1740; Lydia, Feb. 7, 1742; Sarah, Sept. 18, 
1743 ; Nathaniel, Sept. 15, 1745 ; Waltar, Dec. 18, 1748. 

Samuel Ker, had bap. Waltar, Mar. 12, 1732 ; William, Mar. 25, 
1733 ; Joseph, Sept. 22, 1734 ; Elisabeth, Nov. 15, 1735 ; Isbela, Mar. 
20, 1737 ; Jacob, Dec. 17, 1738 ; Samuel, Dec. 6, 1740 ; Rachel, June 
20, 1742 ; John, Feb. 12, 1744 ; Catharine, Mar. 16, 1746 ; Stephen, 
Apr. 28, 1751. 

John Ker, had bap. Rebeca, July 19, 1732 ; Joseph, May 5, 1734. 

Moses Laird married Elisabeth, the daughter of James English, had 
bap. David, May 10, 1767 ; William, Jan. 8, 1769 ; Catharine his 
Second wife on profession of her faith, & Elizabeth their daughter, 
Aprile 17, 1773 ; Catharine, Oct. 31, 1774. 

Peter Longstreet, had bap. Elias, June 14, 1767 ; Anne, April 29, 
I770- 

Danniel Lane, had bap. His wife Lyda, Jan, 27, 1775, on Profession 
of her own faith, & then their daughter Cathrine ; David, Oct. 13, 

1776. 

David Loyd, had bap. Elias, Jan. 27, 1775 ; Peter, Sep. 14, 1777. 

Dr. Peter LaConte, had bap. William, John Eaton, & Margaret at 
home, ; Thomas, July 26, 1747 ; Peter, May 19, 1751. 

William Laird, son of Thomas, had bap. Jane, Aug. 21, 1768 ; Sarah, 
Oct. 28, 1770 ; Thomas, May 28, 1775. 

Rachel Lovell, a young & grown Woman, Baptised upon profession 
of her faith, Dec. 4, 1742. 



APPENDIX. 



127 



John Lloyd, had bap. Anna, Apr. 26, 1747 ; Margaret, July 3, 1748. 
John Laird, had bap. Susanna, Sep. 3, 1775. 

Alexander Laird, Deceased, Sep. 8, 1771, had bap. His Wife Lydia, 
Daughter of Robert James, and then his son William, , 1756 ; Rob- 
ert, , 1758 ; Richard, June 22, 1760 ; Amie, Sept. 26, 1762 ; Elisa- 
beth, April 14, 1765 ; Lydia, Aprile 7, 1771. 

Aaron Longstreet, of Rocky Hill, had bap. Lydia, June 10, 1759. 

John Lambertson, had bap. Roleph, June 20, 1731. 

William Laird, Deceased Aug. 16, 1772 ; had bap. Alexander, Nov. 

4, 1733 ; Moses, Oct. 19, 1735 ; Sarah, July 10, 1737 ; Jane, Oct. 19, 
1740; Elisabeth, July 4, 1742; Mary, April 15, 1744; Margaret, Apr. 
27, 1746 ; Beavan, May 22, 1748 ; deceased Sep. 21, 1774 ; William, 
Oct. 22, 1751. 

William Logan, had bap. Sarah, May 19, 1734; StofFel, Aug. 31, 
1 735 ; William, Dec. 18, 1737. 
Wm. Laird, son of Wm. had bap. William, by Mr. Smith, May 10, 
. 1778. 

Nathaniel Morgan, had bap. Hannah, July 4, 1736. 
Thomas Laird, had bap. Moses, May 19, 1734. 

John Lowrey, had bap. Nathaniel, May 29, 1736 ; Jane, Sept. 18, 
1738. 

David Lee, had bap. Patience, July 2, 1738. 

Timothy LI03TI, Jr., had bap. Peter, June 20, 1742 ; David, Feb. 10, 
1745. 

Daniel Lott, had bap. Mary, July 9, 1775. 

William Laird, had bap. Susanna, Apr. 21, 1754. 

Robert McAfie, had bap. Agnos, Feb. 18, 1750 ; Elisabeth, presented 
by the Mother the father being absent, March 18, 1753; Ealeanor, 
Both parents engaged, March 22, 1755. 

John McChesney, deceased March 10, 1775 ; had bap. Robert, May 
14, 1758; James, by Second Wife, March 30, 1760; John, April 8, 
1764 ; Eleanor, May 11, 1766 ; William, July 10, 1768 ; Samuel, Aug. 

5. I 77° ; Joseph, Aprile 18, 1773. 

Francis Mount, married Andr. Reed's daughter. Ezekiel, bap. June 
7, 1767 ; Anne, July 16, 1769, both presented by the Mother ; Elisabeth, 
June 5, 1774. 

Mary Montier a Grown Young Woman, Baptized on her profession 
of her Faith, March 27, 1763. 

Daniel Mackelvvain, had bap. Margaret, Sep. 2, 1744. 

Hugh Mack Gill, had bap. William, June 28, 1767. 

Robart McKnight, had bap. John, May 8, 1774. 

Mink, a Negro Man of Court Schenck's upon profession of his faith, 
July 5, 174.1. 

Moses, a Negro Man of upon profession of his faith, 

June 18, 1749. 

William McKnight. Sarah Wife of Wm. McKnight upon profession 
of her Faith, Dec, 16, 1744; had bap. Robert his first child, Nov. 3, 

1745 ; Jane, , 1747 ; Amie, July — , 1749 ; John, April 28, 1751; 

Lewis, June 24, 1753 ; Mary, Jan. 26, 1755 ; James, May 8, 1757 ; 
Thomas, Dec. 10, 1758 ; Joseph, Oct. 19, 1760. 

Andrew McGallird, had bap. James, July 19, 1747. 



128 



HISTORY OF OLD TEFNENT. 



Ammariah Morris had bap. Garret, May ii, 1775 ; Mary, June 20, 
1779, both presented by the mother. 

James Moorhead had bap. William, May 8, 1748. 

Robert McGallird had bap. Jane, March 26, 1749. 

Hugh McFerrin had bap. Margaret, July 11, 1736 ; Robert, Nov. 26, 
1738 ; Isabella, Dec. 13, 1740; Susanna, Mar. 20, 1743. 

John McFerrin had bap. Daniel, May 29, 1737 ; Elisabeth, March 
4, 1739- 

Humphrey Mount, had bap. William, May 14, 1739, Presented by 
the Mother. 

Robert Morris, had bap. Wilson, May 11, 1775 ; William, June 20, 
1779, both presented by the mother. 

Matthias Mount, had bap. John, June 5, 1743 ; Rachel, . 

Richd. Mills, had bap. William, Mar. 25, 1750, presented by the 
Mother; David, Oct. 22, 1752, presented by the Mother also. 

Samuel McConky, had bap. William, March 11, 1744 ; Jacob, Sept. 
13, 1745 ; John, July 19, 1747 ; Anne, Apr. 23, 1749 ; Mary, March 
— , 1751 ; Samuel, June 10, 1753. 

Hugh McFerrin had bap. Elisabeth, Dec. 6, 1730 ; Jane, Nov. 4, 1733. 

Daniel McCay had bap. Elisabeth, May 2, 1731 ; Daniel, presented 
by the mother, the father being dead, Nov. 4, 1733. 

Humphry Mount had bap. Brittan, June 2, 1731 ; Dorcas, May 5, 
1734 ; Mary, June 7, 1736 ; all presented by the mother. 

Jacob Mattison had bap. Anne his wife, Feb. 11, 1732 ; Elisabeth 
his Daughter, ; Mary, Jan. 8, 1734. 

Andrew Mains, had bap. Andrew, July' 19, 1732 ; Charles, March 31, 
1734 ; Jane, June 22, 1735. 

John McConnel had bap. Eleazar, Sep. 1, 1733 ; Martha, March 
28, 1736. 

Duncan McCay had bap. Mary, Catharine, Anne & William, all at 
once, Oct. 5, 1735 ; James, June 12, 1737 ; John, April 1, 1739. 

Joseph Newton, his wife Eleanor, daughter of John Anderson, Esqr., 
had bap. Thomas and James, Nov. 2, 1766 ; Kenneth Anderson, Oct. 
23, 1768, presented by the Mother, the Father being Absent. 

George, a Negro Man, belonging to Joseph Van Matren, Baptized on 
profession of his faith, Oct. 25, 176 1. 

Negro Woman, Hagar Slave of Hendr. Hendrickson, Dr. Baptised on 
profession of Faith, Apr. 14, 1751. 

Negro Mink, had bap. Peter, Sep. 18, 1748, the Mother lives at Mr. 

Jas. Robinson's ; Ninus, Sept. , 1751, Mr. Robinson Joined with 

the Child's father. 

Mr. Robt. Cummings. Negro Cube, bap. Oct. 16, 1752, on pro- 
fession of his own faith ; Titus, Apr. 15, 1753, Child of Sd. Cube ; 
Samson, May 8, 1757, Child of Sd. Cube. 

Mr. Cumming. Mimbo, Cube's Wife, bap. Aug, 18, 1765, on pro- 
fession, &c. 

John Newal had bap. Adam, Apr. 4, 1731. 

Thomas Nesmith, had bap. Anne ; Father & Child Baptized togeth- 
er July 19, 1732 ; Margaret, May 26, 1734. 
John Newal, had bap. Agnos, Dec. 23, 1733. 

William Norcross was married to Martha Mattison, Dec. — , 1745 ; 



APPENDIX. 



129 



Baptized upon profession of his Faith, June 5, 1743 ; had bap. John, 
his first Child, Jan. 11, 1747 ; Aaron, on fryday before the Lord's Sup- 
per, Apr. 8, 1748 ; Elisabeth, Dec. 31, 1749 ; Abraham, Dec. 22, 1751 ; 
Rebeca, Sep. 15, 1754. 

Thomas Newman, Baptised upon profession of his Faith, Aged about 
18 or 19 years, May 13, 1750 ; had bap. his first child, George, by 
Mary, the Daughter of Mr. George Wilkie & his Wife, Aug. 18, 1754. 

Elisabeth Nichols, bap. Aug. 4, 1754 ; Anne Nichols, bap. June 22, 
1755 ; Daughters of Joshua Nichols, Baptised on profession of their faith. 

Alice, Negrowench of Benja:V:Cleef, & Diana, Negrowench of John 
Longstreet, were Baptized May 13, 1753, on profession of their faith. 

Negro Samson, belonging to Mr. Wm. Rue, bap. Oct. 26, 1755-. 

Cone, Negro to Michael Johnston, bap. Oct. 17, 1756. 

James, Negro to Mr. Tennent, bap. June 5, 1757. 

Jack, Negro to Capt. Joseph Rue, bap. Aug. 6, 1758. 

Jaef & Rose, man & Wife, Negroes to Capt. John Van Cleef, bap. 
Jan. 7, 1759. 

Thomas & Ma^, Negroes belonging to Jacob Weykof, bap. Nov. 
2, 1766. 

Thomas Napier, had bap. John, Oct. 31, 1769. 
John Pittinger, had bap. Richard, Oct. 5, 1760. 

Widow OHarra had bap. Sarah, Oct. 12, 1760, the Father, John 
OHarra, being lately Deceased. 

Bryan OGallouchor, had bap. James, Sept. 16, 1750 ; Ebehezar, 

March 2, 1755; John, Junes, +757 I Agnes, April 15, 1759; 

, Jan. 24, 1762 ; James, Aug. 5, 1764 ; Catharine, May 11,. 1766; 

Samuel, Nov. 5, 1769. 

George OBryau. Margaret, bap. May 3, 1756 ; presented by the 
Mother, the father not appear. 

Bryan ODocherty. Hannah, bap. April 13, 1766 ; Susanah, 

— , ; both presented by the Mother. 

Henry Perine, Son of John, had bap. Eydia, April 5, 1767 ; Joseph, 
July 23, 1769 ; Mary, Aug. 11, 1771 ; Henry, Nov. 14, 1773 ; William, 
Mar. 26, 1775 ; Mathew Rue, June 29, 1777. 

Parent Sammuel, had bap. Michale, Nov. 1, 1772. 

Josiah Parent, had bap. Thomas, July 19, 1732 ; Margaret, May 31, 
1734. 

James Pettit, had bap. James, Feb. 9, 1735 ; Kezia, May 29, 1737 ; 
Stephen, June 3, 1739. 

Daniel Perrine, had bap. Daniel, Oct. 5, 1735 ; Elizabeth, Aug. 8, 
1736 ; Hannah, May 4, 1739 ; Elizabeth, April 15, 1744 ; the last three 
presented by the Mother. 

William Preston, Jr., had bap. Hannah, May 27, 1750. 

Richard Pittinger had bap. Euphunea, June 20, 1736 ; John, Apr. 22, 
1739 ; Rachel, March 28, 1742 ; by his second wife, Samuel, Aug. 18, 
1754 ; the Second wife had been the wife of Wm. Deveny. 

Richard Pittenger, Jr., had bap. Jacob, Jan. 1, 1758 ; Euphemia, Oct. 
28, 1759. 

Peter Perrine, of Matchaponix, had bap. Mary, July 11, 1736 ; Mar- 
tha, Nov. 5, 1738 ; Margaret, May 10, 1741 ; William, Apr. 15, 1744. 
Tobias Polhemus, had bap. John, March 19, 1738. 
Joseph Preston, had bap. Rebeca, Nov, 13, 1737. 

10 



130 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNJENT. 



Samuel Parent, had bap. Robert, March 27, 1743; Samuel, July 26, 
1747. 

William Rue son of Matthew, had bap. Matthew, July 30, 1763 ; 
Samuel, Nov. 24, 1765 ; William, June 7, 1767 ; Mary, Dec. 6, 1773 ; 
Richard & Margaret, Sept. 26, 1779. 

Joseph Robinson son of James. His Wife Unice & her sister Han- 
nah Baptized on profession of their Faith, & his Daughter Mary pre- 
sented by the parents, Oct. 18, 1767 ; James, July 9, 1769. 

David Rhe, had bap. Cathrine Nott, April 4, 1776. 

John Rue, had bap. Joseph, Oct. 31, 1779. 

Mathew Rue, had bap. Abigale, Aprile 9, 17S0. 

Peter Rosabach, had bap. Aeltije, May 27, 1757. 

Ealeanor Reynolds a young grown Baptized on profession of her 
Faith, Nov. 2,1766. She is the daughter of William Reynolds deceased. 
James Reed, had bap. James, Aug. 14, 1737. 
Isaac Ross, had bap. John, Feb. 2, 1735. 
John Reed, had bap. Jane, May 26, 1734. 

David Rhe, had bap. Jonathan, Sep. 26, 1731 ; Nelley or Nealtije, 
Dec. 30, 1733; Janet, May 16, 1736; David, Sep. 22, 1740; Anne, 
March 6, 1743. 

James Robinson, had bap. Mar}\ Feb. 5, 1732 ; Jane, Feb. 25, 1734 ; 
John, Oct. 3, 1736 ; Charity, March 4, 1739 ; Henry or Hendrick, July 
12, 1 74 1 ; Joseph, March 25, 1744. 

James Rue, had bap. Mar} 7 , Jan. 28, 1733. 

Thomas Redford, a Man grown, made open profession of the Faith, 
and was bap. April 29, 1733. 

William Rogers, had bap. William, April 29, 1733 ; Mary and Eliz- 
abeth, May 9, 1736 ; Rebeca, presented by the mother, May 10, 1752. 

Widw. Margt. Robinson, had bap. James, Sep. 16, 1733. 

Robert Rhe, had bap. Margaret, Aug. 24, 1746, Said Rhe's first Child 
deceased Nov. — , 1747 ; David, Sep. 18, 1748 ; Margaret the Second, 
March 17, 1751 ; Anna, Sept. 9, 1753 ; Mary, Dec. 6, 1755 ; Jonathan, 
April 9, 1758 ; James, Sept. 28, 1760 ; David, Baptized by Mr. Wm. 
Tennent, Jr., March 10, 1763 ; Robert, Dec. 15, 1765 ; Margaret, June 
26, 1768. 

George Rhe, had bap. Anna, Sep. 26, 1746, the Fryday before the Ls. 
Supper ; David, June 26, 1748 ; Mary, Oct. 28, 1750 ; Margaret, Oct. 
16, 1752 ; Elizabeth, on a fast day, June 4, 1755. 

Ruth Rounay, was Baptized upon publick profession of her Faith, 
July 13, 1735. " 

Janet Carswell, alias Reed, had bap. Sarah, July 5, 1741. 

Charles Rhoades, had bap. Hester, or Esther, Oct. 27, 1751. 

Robinson, Son-in-Eaw to Andrew Mains, had bap. Elizabeth, 

May 10, 1752. 

Henry Robinson married Anne Rhe, daughter of David Rhe, Esqr. ; 
had bap. Charity, Apr. 14, 1765. 

Andrew Reed, 3 had bap. Mary, , ; John, March, 26, 1758; 

Samuel, Apr. 13, 1760; James, May 6, 1762. 

Jonathan Rhe married to Lyda Forman, daughter of Aa: Forman, 
Deed.; had bap. David, May 11, 1755; Aaron, May 8, 1757; Esther, 
July 29, 1759 ; John, Apr. 4, 1762 ; Anne, Oct. 25, 1767, presented by 
the Mother, the Father being dead. 



APPENDIX. 



131 



James Reed, son of John Reed, had bap. Aaron, March 21, 1756. 

George Riddel, had bap. Agnos, Dec. 21, 1755 ; Margaret, Aug. 20, 
l 75& ; John, July 5, 1761 ; Elizabeth, Nov. 28, 1762 ; David, Aug. — , 
1765 ; Mary, July 13, 1766. 

John Shaw, had bap. Sarah, at home for Sufficient Reasons, Nov. 23, 
1733; John, Thomas, Henry, Joseph, Elizabeth, Dec. 13, 1744. All these 
Baptized at one time at a Catechising at Mr. Shaw's House. 

John Smith. John & Joseph sons, & Sarah & Esther daughters, all 
Baptized at once, June 1, 1735. 

Michael Svveetman, had bap. Jane, at princetown, , 1733 ; John, 

May 2, 1736 ; Michael, June 25, 1738 ; Thomas, Oct. 19, 1740 ; Catha- 
rine, Aug. 15, 1742 ; Margaret, Oct. 7, 1744 ; Henderson — John, Feb. 

, 1747 ; Anne, Mar. 26, 1749 ; John & Mary, Twins, Mar. 25, 1752, 

John Died 4 days After. 

Moses Smith, Dec'd. Moses & Dorothy, presented by the Mother, 
& Eleanor, Presented by Thomas Kinnan & his Wife, Aug 29, 1736. 

John Stuart, had bap. Stephen, Nov. 20, 1737, presented by the 
Mother; Margaret, April 24, 1743, presented by Father & Mother. 

John Service had bap. Esther, Mar. 19, 1738 ; James, Jan. 13, 1740. 

Patience Stout, was Baptized on profession of her Faith, May 18, 
1741. 

Richd. Still well, had bap. Hannah, Sept. 13, 1745, presented b}^ the 
Mother. 

Henderson Sweetman, had bap. Michael, Aprile 2, 1775 ; Formau, 
June 1, 1777. 

Simeon, Negro Man of Capt. Matthias Lane, baptized on profession 
of his faith, Feb. 22, 1761. 

Senate, a Negro Man of Joseph Hankinsons, baptized on profession 
of his faith, March 14, . 

David Smith, had bap. Euphama, May 30, 1773. 

Peter Smith, had bap. Himself & on Profession of his own faith & 
his daughter Elizabeth, Jan. 27, 1775. 

Richard Stevens, son of Benj. Stevens, married to Elizabeth, daugh- 
ter of John Henderson, June 19, 1755. Their first child Jane was born 
& baptized the 13th day & deceased at 8 o'clock afternoon the same 
evening, Oct. 5, 1756 ; Anne the 2d. Child Baptized the 25th Dec. 
1757; Nicholas, March 30, 1760 ; Margaret, July 30, 1763 ; Elizabeth 
May 11, 1766, presented by the mother, her father being dead about a 
fortnight ago. 

Dr. Nathaniel Scudder married to Isbella daughter of Kenneth An- 
derson 30th of , had bap. John Anderson their first child, , 

1759 ; Joseph, March — , 1762 ; Hannah, Oct. — , 1763 ; Kenneth An- 
derson, Nov. 3, 1765 ; Lydia, July 10, 1768. 

Thomas Sweetman, had bap. John, Aug. 24, 1766 ; Margaret, April 
15, 1769 ; Michael, July 8, 1770 ; Joseph, May 8, 1774. 

Michale Sweetman, had bap. Michale, Sep. 1, 1771 ; Eleoner, May 
30, 1773 ; Mary, March 30, 1777. 

Andrew Smith, had bap. Moses, Oct. 31, 1774 ; Mar3 T , May 18, 1777 ; 
Michael Sweetman, May 9, 1779. 

George Tomson, had bap. John, Sep. 5, 1731. 

John Tomson's Wife Rachel bap. by Old Mr. Tennent on profession 



132 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



of Faith, April 25, 1732 ; John Said Tomson's Son, March 5, 1735 ; 
James, Jan. 8, 1738. 

William Terry, had bap. Richard, presented by the mother, March 
17. I 734- 

Rebeca Tomson had a daughter baptized June 15, 1735. 
John Truax, had bap. Roelef, Aug. 25, 1735. 

The Rev. Mr. William Tennent Jr., had bap. John, by his Uncle the 
Rev. Mr. G. Tennent, Sep. 15, 1739 ; William, March 15, 1741 ; Gil- 
bert, May—, 1742; Catharine, Sept. 26, 1743; Margaret, Aug. 7, 
1745, who died soon after as did another daughter who was a twin 
child with this 3 days before. 

John Tone, had bap. Andrew, Feb. 17, 1743 ; Thomas, Feb. 17, 
1745 ; Hannah, Aug. 23, 1747 ; , June 18, 1749. 

Moses Thompson, had bap. John, Feb. 21, 1768. 

Abraham Truax, had bap. Sceytie, July 19, 1767 ; Lyda, June 23, 
1771. 

Tom, a Negro man belonging to John Henderson Baptized on pro- 
fession of his faith, Dec. 28, 1746. 

Tony, a Negro man belonging to Court Schenck, Baptized on pro- 
fession of his faith, April 19, 1747. 

Peter, a Negro man belonging to the Rev. Mr. Erruckson, Baptized 
on profession of his Faith, June 25, 1758. 

George Tinney, had bap. Euphunea, Aprile 4, 1776. 

Wm. Van Kerk, Jr., had bap. Samuel, Elizabeth, May 4, 1760 ; 
William, July 5, 1762 ; John, July 22, 1764. 

Wm. Van Voorhes, had bap. Cathrine, March 24, 1771 ; Elloner, June 
2 7. 1 773 ; Mary, May 28, 1775 ; William, Sept. 14, 1777. 

John Van Voorhees, had bap. Hendrick, which is his first child, - — 
— 1753 ; Aeltie, Dec. 7, 1755. 

Jacob Van Arsdalen, had bap. Mary, Sept. 20, 1767. 

William Van Kerk, had bap. Esther, June 3, 1754. 

Aaron Mattison. Sarah, his Wife, Baptized on profession of her 
faith, May 1, 1763. 

John Vancleif, S:B:B., had bap. Benjamin, June 27, 1773 ; Pegg} r , 
May io, 1778 ; both Baptized by Mr. Smith. 

Matthias Van Kerk, son of John V. K., married. John Truax's Daugh- 
ter Alice in May — , 1753 ; had bap. John, July 28, 1754. 

David Van Schcaik, had bap. Josiah, June 24, 1758 ; Benjamin, June 
1, 1760 ; Robert, May 16, 1762 ; David, June 3, 1764 ; Isabella, May 8, 
1768 ; Hannah, Aug. 4, 1771. 

Thomas Van Kerk, had bap. William Cox, Nov. 22, 1761 ; Mary, 
June 19, 1763. 

Barnardus Ver Bryke, Esqr., had bap. Aeltije, May 9, 1736. 

Arthur Van Kerk, had bap. Hannah, his Wife, & Elshie his Daugh- 
ter, Jan. 12, 1746. 

John Van Scaiack, had bap. John, July 1, 1750; David, Dec. 17, 

1752 ; Janet, March 22, 1755 ; , Jan. 30, 1757 ; Peter, by his 

Second Wife, June 2, 1765 ; William, June 7, 1767. 

Lawrence Van Hook, son of Aaron, had bap. Lloyd, Feb. 12, 1751 ; 
Aaron, Aug. 12, 1753 ; Elizabeth, May 18, 1755. 

Ryke Van Matren, son of John, had bap. Ida, June 9, 1751 ; his ex- 
cuse for coming to Mr. Tennent to baptize his child was that his Wife 



APPEXDIX. 



133 



did not understand Dutch : Janatie or Jane, April 15. 1753 : John, Aug. 
24, 1755 ; Catharine & Mary, Twin Children, June 25, 1758 : William, 
June 22, 1760; Nelly, Feb. 13, 1763. 

William V.Voorhees. had bap. Jane, Oct. 11, 1767. 

Peter Van Voorhees. had bap. , a Daughter, March 7, 1731. 

John Van Kerk, had bap. Alice, Jan. 28, 1733 : Peter. Nov. — , 1734. 

Baldwin Van Delip, had bap. Baldwin, March 25, 1733. presented by 
the mother. 

William Van Kerk, had bap. Elsie. Sep. 16. 1733 : Hannah, March 

2 5' *735 ! William. Oct. 3, 1736 ; Thomas, : John, Nov. 19, 

173S : Roeief, : Lydia & Sarah, Twin Daughters, July 10, 

1743 ; Catharine, June 30. 1745 : Anne, Sep. 20. 1747 ; Joseph, March 
4, I75°- 

Francis Van Schcaik, had bap. Elizabeth. March 23, 1735; Anne, 



Hendrick V: Voorhees, Jr., married Jane Leslee : had bap. Peter, 
April S. 1764 : Sarah, April 13, — 66. 

Hendrick Van Voorhees, had bap. Jane, Nov. — , 1735. 

George Williams, had bap. James, Dec. 6, 1730: Margaret, April 
14. 1734 : both presented by the Mother. 

Gerrit Weycof, had bap. Gerrit. Dec. 27, 1730 (?) 

Thomas Whitlock, had bap, Sarah, Mar. 14, 1731, presented by the 
Mother. 

Richard Watson, had bap. Richard. Jul}" 25, 1731. 
John Wilson, had bap. Catharine, Aug. 1, 1731, presented by the 
Mother. 

Waltar Wilson, had bap. Rachel, Sept. 12, 1731. 
James Wall, had bap. Rebeca, Oct. 10, 1731. 

James Wilson, had bap. Rachel, Wife of John Tomson, April 25, 1732. 

Wid : Cathr. Wilson, had bap. Hannah, Sept. 24, 1732. 

Waltar Wilson, had bap. Rachel, Sept. — , 1731 : Jane, March 25, 
1733 ; Euphunea, . 

Peter Wilson, man grown & made publick profession, April 29, 1733. 

Thomas Witlock. had bap. John, March 17, 1734 ; Mary, Feb. 29, 
1736 ; both presented by the Mother. 

James Wall had bap James, Jul}* 27, 1735. 

Joseph Wilson Baptized and his Son Andrew, Oct. 10, 1735 ; Joseph. 
July 2. 173S : Isabella. March 25, 1739. 

George. Walker, married to Priscilla Forman Oct. 26, 1747 ; Esther, 
their first Child was Baptized Sep. 25, 174S ; Ursulla, Oct. 7, 1750: 
Partheuia, May 20. 1753 : George. June 6. 1756 ; Aaron Forman, May 
6. 1759: Lucretia, April 26. 1761 ; Lydia, Aprils, 1764; Elizabeth, 
Nov. 2, 1766, Deceased June 5, 1767 ; Elizabeth Row'ena, June 26, 1768. 

Gerrit Weycof, had bap. Oakey, Dec. 4, 174S. 

James Wilson, son of Waltar, had bap. Hannah, Jane & William, all 
presented by their father, Dec. 2, 1764. 

Peter Wilson, son of Peter, was Baptized himself first on profession 
of his Faith & then his child or daughter, Sarah, Sep. 30, 1753 ; Deb- 
orah, , 1755. 

Jacob Weycof. had bap. Anne. June 27. 1756 : Catharine. Aug. 21. 
1757; Sarah, Sept. 22, 1765. 



134 HISTOR Y OF OLD TEMs T ENT. 



William Whitlock, had bap. William, Feb. 14, 1762 ; Eockhart, 
Oct. 29, 1763. 

Thomas West, had bap. Himself on profession of his faith, & then 
his son, Benjamin, May 14, 1775. 

George Williams had bap. George, April 24, 1737. 

John Wind, had bap. John, June 5, 1737, presented by the Mother. 

George Walker had bap. Esther, Jan. 8, 1738 ; James, Feb. 26, 1741; 
Anne — Clark, April 15, 1744. 

Peter Weaver, had bap. Johannah, Feb. 16, 1738 ; Elizabeth, Dec. 9, 
1739; Abigal, April 26, 1741 ; Peter, Oct. 25, 1767. 

Michael Ward, had bap. William, Apr. 24, 1743. 

Yana, a Negro Wench of Win. Cowenhoven the son of Albert bap. 
upon profession of her faith, March 19, 1738 ; her children Mack, C3'ro, 
and Nancy presented by said Yana their Mother, Mar. 8, 1747. 

John Yateman, had bap. Peter, John, Mary, Elizabeth, Margaret and 
Lucia, June 27, 1756 ; all presented by their Mother Margaret Daugh- 
ter of Peter Gordon deceased & Grand daughter of Robert Rhe Long 
deceased ; Mauoah, May 8, 1757 ; Isbella, Nov. 22, 1761, both present- 
ed by their Mother. 

John Zutphen, had bap. Aentije, Dec. 6, 1730. 

Derek Zutphen, had bap. Nealtije, June 2, 1731. 

Abraham Zutphen, had bap. John, Dec. 15, 1734. 

Derick Zutphen, sou of Jacob, had bap. Joseph, Aug. 4, 1754 ; 
John, July 4, 1756 ; David, Apr. 25, 1760. 



XL 



NAMES AND DATES OF EARLY BURIALS. 

(1). In Old Scots Cemetery. 

Hannah Amy, died March 23, 1762, aged about 53 years, wife of John. 

John Boice, died Feb. 14, 1805, in his 47th 3-ear. 

Jane Boice, died March 8, 1849, aged 91 years, wife of John. 

Rev. John Boyd, died Aug. 30, 1708, in his 29th year, first pastor of 

Old Scots Church. 
Richard Clark, died May 16, 1733, born Feb. 10, 1663, in Scotland. 
Archibald Craig, Esqr., died March 6, 1751, aged 73 years. 
Mary Craig, died Nov. 1, 1752, aged 69 years, wife of Archibald. 
Samuel Craige, died Nov. 17, 1746, in his 39th year, son of Archibald 

and Mary. 

William Craig, died Aug. 8, 1726, in his 2nd year, son of Archibald. 
William Craig, died Aug. 28, 1743, in his 3rd year, son of Samuel. 
William Crawford, died March 22, 1760, in his 55th 3-ear, late High 

Sheriff of Middlesex County. 
Samuel Crawford, died July 8, 1748, in his 36th year. 
Jonathan Forman, Esqr., died Dec. 28, 1762, aged 74 years. 
Margaret Forman, died Dac. 21, 1765, aged 72 years, wife of Jonathan. 



APPENDIX. 



135 



William Forman, died in his 7th year, born Feb. 20, 1729, son of Jona- 
than and Margaret. 

Jonathan Forman, Died May 20, 1758, in his 37th year, son of Jona- 
than and Margret. 

Buphamea Freeizer, died March 1, 1748, in her 2 2d year. 

John Henderson, Esqr., died Jan. 1, 1771, in his 74th year. 

Ann Henderson, died Oct. 4, 1776, in her 65th year, wife of John. 

Michael Henderson, died Aug. 23, 1722. 

Jane Henderson, died Oct. 10, 1722, wife of Michael. 

Anne Henderson, died June 18, 1748, born Dec. 27, 1734. 

Jane Henderson, died Jan. 4, 1748-9, bo- 1 Oct. 8, 1730. 

John O'Harrah, died Sep. 16, 1760, in his 35th year. 

Margaret O'Harrah, died Sep. 3, 1760, in her 6th year, daughter of 
John and Sarah. 

Catharine Patten, died Feb. 9, 1774, aged 52 years, wife of John. 

Daniel Peacock, died May 3, 1823, in his 61st year. 

Ann Peacock, died April 19, 1825, in her 55th year, wife of Daniel. 

David Pease, died Oct 15, 1758, in his 59th year. 

Abraham Probasco, died Nov. 30, 1806, in his 70th year. 

Nelly Probasco, died Sep. 9, 1806, in her 74th year, wife of Abraham. 

Jacob Quackenbush, died Dec. 29, 1828, aged 84 years. 

Experience Quackenbush, died Dec. 27, 1830, aged 93 years, wife of 
Jacob. 

Elizabeth Reder, died June, 1735, aged about 79 years, wife of Jeremiah. 
William Redford, died March 1, 1726, aged 84 years, came from North 
Brittain, 1682. 

Margret Redford, died April 17, 1729, aged 84 years, wife of William. 

Rev. John Tennent, died April 23, 1732, born Nov. 12, 1707 ; third pas- 
tor of Old Scots Church. 

Elinor uan Dorn, died May 22, 1733, in her 21st year, wife of Abra- 
ham, daughter of Jonathan and Margret Forman. 

Cathrine van der hiden, died Jan. 10, 1747, aged 33 years, wife of John, 
and daughter of Anthony and Elizabeth ward. 

Anthony Ward, died Dec. 6, 1746, aged 76 years ; born in Great Britain. 

Walter Wall, died Feb. 2, 1738, aged 47 years. 

Anna Wall, died Jan. 19, 1758, in her 63d year, wife of Walter. 

(2). In Old Topanemus Cemetery. 

[This cemetery is situated about oue mile west of Marlboro, N. J. Here was located in 
its early days, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, which was afterwards moved to Freehold 
village. Rev. Geo. Keith, who had been a Quaker, but afterwards joined the Episcopal 
Church, was amoug the first to conduct services in Old Topanemus]. 

Coll. John Anderson, died March 28, 1736, aged 71 years, once Presi- 
dent of his Majesty's Council for the Province of New Jersey. 

Anna Anderson, died Jul 3^ 6, 1723, aged 43 years, wife of Coll. John, 
and daughter of John Reid. 

Hannah Anderson, died Aug. 15, 1762, in her 44th year, wife of Kenneth. 

Lydia Anderson, died Aug. 18, 1744, aged 3 yrs. 11 mos. 23 days, 
daughter of Kenneth and Hannah. 

James Abraham, died Sep. 13, 1765, aged 69 yrs. 6 mos. 18 days; born 
in Northhamptonshire in Old England. 

Jannet Abraham, died April 3, 1747, in her 44th year, wife of James, 



136 



HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



Charles Abraham, died Sep. 18, 1760, in his 35th year, son of James 
andjannet. [land, 1683. 

John Baird, died April, 1755, aged about 90 3'ears; came from Scot- 
John Baird, Jr., died Feb. 6, 1747, in his 41st year. 
Zebulun Baird, died Jan. 28, 1804, in his 84th. 

Anne Baird, died Dec. 28, 1794, aged 63 yrs. 4 mos. 11 days, wife of 
David Bowne, died Dec. 9, 1820, in his 73rd 3 T ear. [Zebulun. 
Mary Bowne, died Feb. 28, 1813, in her 48th year, wife of David. 
Sarah Brown, died Aug. 8, 1771, aged 27 yrs. 9 mos., wife of Andrew. 
John Barclay, Esq., died Feb., 1786. 

Katherin Barclay, died Oct. 26, 1757, born June 14, 1705, wife of John 

Barclay, and daughter of Charles Gordon. 
John Clark, died March 17, 1777, aged 58 yrs. 16 days. 
William Clarke, died May — , 1709, (tombstone is a double one, for 

himself and wife, and is broken off). 
Elizabeth Clarke, died Dec. 25, 1697, aged 42 years, wife of William ; 

she was born in Scotland. 
Allexsander Clark, died Aug. 7, 1730, aged 37 3'ears, born in Newjarsey. 
Mary Carhart, died Aug. 10, 1737, aged 41 years, wife of Robart. 
Richard Denise, died Aug. 17, 1802, aged 31 3'ears, 2 mos. 16 da3'S, 

son of Denise & Margaret. 
Margaret Denise, died Dec. 18, 1770, aged 22 yrs. 10 mos. 24 da3'S, 

wife of Denise Denise, and daughter of Richard and Sarah Franses. 
Alexander Dove, died Oct. 7, 1736, aged 73 3'ears. 
Jane Dove. 

John Driskel, died Nov. 19, 1804, in his 41st 3 T ear. 

John Fenton, died Aug. 5, 1747, aged 77 yrs. 3 mos. 

John Fenton, died April 7, 1736, in his 12th 3'ear, son of John & Mar3'. 

Richard Franses, died Nov. 10, 1795, aged 86 yrs. 9 mos. & 9 da3'S. 

Sarah Franses, died Aug. 8, 1809, aged 97 3^rs. 11 mos. & 12 da3's, wife 

of Richard, and daughter of Thomas and Mar3' Warne. 
Thomas Franses, died Feb. 20, 1768, in his 31st year, son of Richard 

and Sarah. 

James Frances, died Sep. 26, 1766, in his 13th 3'ear, son of Richard 
and Sarah. 

John Franses, died March 21,1 759, in his 8th 3 7 ear, son of Rich. & Sarah. 
Mary Franses, died Aug 10, 1753, in her 15th 3'ear, daughter of Rich- 
ard & Sarah. 

John Franses, died April 6, 1730, in his 4th 3 r ear, son of Rich'd & Sarah. 
Richard Franses, died Nov. 8, 1796, son of Richard and Sarah. 
Rachel Franses, died Oct. 19, 1791, in her 43rd 3'ear, daughter of Rich- 
ard and Sarah. 

Daniel Grandin, died Nov. 1, 1790, aged 67 yrs. 6 mos. & 20 days, son 

of Daniel and Mary. 
Sarah Grandin, died Feb. 1, 1761, aged 39 yrs. 2 mos. & 20 da3'S, wife 

of Daniel. 

John Grandin, died Aug. 3, 1774, in his 22d 3'ear, son of Daniel & Sarah. 
Hellana Hankinson, died Feb. 19, 1748, in her 42d yr., wife of Thomas. 
Jonathan Holmes, died Dec. 26, 1766, in his 86th 3 r ear. 
Rebekah Holmes, died Nov. 10, 1761, aged 70 yrs. & 9 mos., wife of 
Jonathan. [& Rebeckah. 

Joseph Holmes, died March 23, 1738, in his 17th year, son of Jonathan 



APPENDIX. 



137 



Samuel Holmes, died Nov. 29, 1769, in his 44th year. 
Molly Holmes, died April 23, 1773, aged 46 years, wife of Samuel. 
Elisha Holmes, died Feb. 13, 1792, aged 22 yrs. 11 mos. & 26 days. 
Adrian Hun, died Jan. 15, 1738, aged 28 yrs. and 7 mos. 
Phebe Hun, died May 10, 1739, aged 9 mos. & 17 days, daughter of 
Adrian & Phebe. 

Sarah Jolley, died Feb. 10, 1806, in her 26th year, daughter of William 
Thomas Killpatrick, died Jan. 31, 1755, aged 56 years. [& Hannah. 
David Lyell, died Jan, 28, 1725, aged 55 years. (His tombstone has a 

Latin inscription, and also an engraved coat-of-arms). 
Alice Loyd, died Jan. 29, 1761, aged about 78 years, wife of Timothy. 
MargretMcCormick, died Oct. 24, 1760, aged 50 years, wife of Jeremiah. 
William Nichols, died April 9, 1743, born in Dublin, Ireland, Oct. 23, 

1685 ; for many years a physician in Monmouth County. 
Sarah Nichols, died April 6, 1755, aged 70 yrs. 2 mos. & 4 days, wife 

of Dr. William. 
John Reed, died July 5, 1819, aged 96 yrs. & 3 mos. 
Sarah Reed, died May 30, 1785, aged 57 years, wife of John, and 

daughter of John & Anne Wetherill. 
William Reed, died July 31, 1802, in his 34th year, son of John & Sarah. 
Elizabeth Reed, died Feb. 6, 1796, in her 36th 3 r ear, daughter of John 

& Sarah. 

John Reed, died June 10, 1770, aged 93 yrs. 1 mo. & 7 days. 

Anne Reed, died June 4, 1777, aged 92 yrs. & 9 mos., wife of John 

Reed of Monmouth County. 
James Reed, died Dec. 29, 1809, aged 81 years, son of John and Anna. 
Moyka Reed, died Aug. 11, 1757, in her 23d year, wife of James, and 

daughter of Aaron & Catharine Longstreet. 
Sarah Reid, died April 24, 1753, aged 11 } 7 ears, youngest daughter of 

Coll. John Reid. 

Samuel Reid, died Dec. 23, 1802, aged 65 yrs. 9 mos. & 11 days. 
John Reid, died Nov. 16, 1723, aged 67 years. He came from Scotland 

his native countty, with his wife Margaret and three daughters, to 

New Jersey, Dec. 19, 1683. (Noted surveyor and map-drawer). 
Margaret Reid, died May 1, 1728, aged 84 years, wife of John Reid. 
John Rockhed, died Sep. 12, 1737, aged 56 years; second son of Thomas 

Rockhed, of Whitsomhill, in the shire of Berwick, upon Tweed, in 

. North Britain. 

Anna Smith, died Feb. 20, 1773, aged 24 yrs. 4 mos. & 9 days, wife of 
David. 

Susannah Smith, died Nov. 14, 1759, in her 20th year, daughter of 

John and Hesther. 
Hugh Taylor, died Aug. 19, 1750, in his 65th year, born at Coates, in 

the county of York, in Great Brittain. 
Latitia Ta3 T lor, died Sep. 10, 1801, aged 55 yrs. 8 mos. & 10 days, wife 

of Hugh Taylor, and daughter of Richard and Sarah Franses. 
Hugh Taylor, died Oct. 8, 1763, aged 24 days, son of Hugh & Letitia. 
Joseph Throckmorton, died April 8, 1752, aged 26 yrs. 3 mos. & 20 

days, son of Joseph and Alice. 
Job Throckmorton, died Feb 2, 1765, in his 45 year, son of Joseph and 

Alice. 

Mary Throckmorton, died April 19, 1790, in her 67 year, wife of Job. 

11 



138 HISTORY OF OLD TENNENT. 



James Throcmorton, died May 28, 1749, in his 6th year, son of Job and 
Mary. 

Rebekah Tice, died June 24, 1757, in her 24th year, wife of Gilbert Tice. 
Elizabeth Thomas, died Jan. 16, 1762, in her 35th year, wife of Enoch 

David Thomas, & daughter of James and Jannet Abraham. 
Thomas Warne, died May 15, 1722, aged 70 years, born in Plimouth 

in Devenshire in Great Brittain. Lived some time in Ireland. And 

in the 31st year of his age came over a Proprieter in East Jarsey. 
Deborah Warne, died March 15, 1731, aged 27 years, wife of Thomas. 
Joshua Warne, died Aug. 5, 1758, in his 52nd 3'ear. 
Sarah Warne, died Oct. 11, 1742, in her 6th year, daughter of Joshua 

& Elizabeth. 

John Williams, died Jan. 9, 1759, aged about 20 years, son of George. 
(Headstone broken). 

(3). In Old Tennent Cemetery. 

James Anderson, Esq., died Sep. 15, 1766, in his 27th 3-ear. 

John Anderson, died July 19, 1793, in his 90th year. 

Sarah Anderson, died Aug. 10, 1787, aged 82 years, wife of John. 

Jane Brannan, died Sep. 1, 1757, in her 25th year, wife of Andrew. 

Rebecca Baird, died Jan. 6, 1778, aged 22 years, wife of David. 

Lydia Baird, died Feb. 15, 1791, aged 36 years, wife of Capt. David. 

Joseph Bowne, died Oct. 8, 181 2, in his 78th year. 

Hannah Bowne, died May 1, 1823, in her 84th year, wife of Joseph. 

Robert Cumming, died April 15, 1769, in his 68th year. 

Jane Covenhoven, died Aug. 14, 1798, in her 50th year, wife of John P. 

Hannah Crawford, died Jan. 21, 1755, aged 51 years, wife of William. 

James Craig, died July 31, 1806, in his 39th year. 

Ann Craig, died Aug. 26, 1795, in her 31st year, wife of James. 

Dr. David Combs, died Jan. 11, 1795, in his 22nd year. 

John Campbell, died Mar. 30, 1783, in his 33rd year, son of John and 

Campbell Combs, died July 6, 1778, in his 22nd year. [Rachel. 

Esther Combs, died Mar. 20, 1796, in her 33rd year. 

John Craig, died Sep. 25, 1783, in his 73rd year. 

Archibald Craig, died August 1, 1777, in his 24th 3-ear. 

Samuel Craig, died July 6, 1777, in his 26th year. 

William P. Covenhoven, died May 3, 1777, in his 74th 3 T ear. 

Mary Covenhoven, died Jan. 30, 1777, in her 70th year, wife of Win. P. 

Charlotte Campbell, died July 4, 1794, in her 25th year, wife of Dr. 

E. Combs, died 1777. [George W. 

T. Combs, died 1777. 

Rebecca DeBow, died June 19, 1761, in her 27th year, wife of Vanhook. 

Frederick DeBow, died Dec. 19, 1757, in his 72nd year. 

John Dey, died June 13, 1799, in his 19th year, son of John & Mar3\ 

Sarah Dick, died May 3, 1763, aged 63 years. 

David English, Jr., died Sep. 13, 1762, in his 36th year. 

Robert English, died April 25, 1768, in his 40th 3 T ear. 

David English, died Feb. 15, 1782, in his 24th 3 T ear, son of David. 

Jane English, died May 26, 1791, in her 36th year, daughter of David. 

Jonathan Forman, died March 20, 1784, in his 38th year. 

Sarah Forman, died Jan. 18, 1799, aged 26 years, wife of William G. 

Joseph Forman, died July 14, 1775, aged 71 3'ears. 



APPENDIX. 



139 



Elizabeth Forman, died Oct. 15, 1774, aged 64 years, wife of Joseph. 

Anna Forman, died Sep. 9, 1798, in her 63d year, wife of David. 

Margaret Forman, died July 8, 1767, in her 25th year, daughter of Peter. 

Peter Forman, Esq., died Sep. 8, 1785, in his 67th year. 

Eleanor Forman, died Nov. 6, 1771, in her 52nd year, wife of Peter. 

Ann Forman, died April 27, 1793, in her 26th year, wife of Dr. Samuel. 

Margaret Gordon, died Feb. 28, 1792, in her 56th year, wife of Jona- 

Peter Gordon, died April 21, 1770, in his 67th year. [than R. 

Jonathan Rhea Gordon, died August 1, 1800, in his 83d year. 

Sarah Huggen, died Dec.. 3, 1753, aged 47 years, wife of William. 

Mary Hendrickson, died Oct. 26, 1762, in her 27th year, wife of Conradt. 

Joseph Johnston, died Feb. — , 1791, in his 22nd year. 

Michael Johnston, died Sep. 9, 1785, in his 66th year. 

Euphemia Johnston, died May 8, 1770, in her 41st year, wife of Michael. 

Elizabeth Ker, died Dec. 31, 1755, in her 21st year, daughter of Samuel. 

Samuel Ker, died Nov. 18, 1763, aged 23 years, son of Samuel. 

Eliza Laird, died Aug. 31, 1794, in her 22nd year, daughter of Moses 

Moses Laird, died — , 1798, in his 62nd year. [and Caty. 

John Loyd, Esq., died Oct. 14, 1784, in his 62nd 3'ear. 

Aaron Mattison, died April 26, 1762, in his 82nd year. 

Elizabeth Mattison, died Feb. 3, 1773, in her 91st year, wife of Aaron. 

John Mattison, died Oct. 27, 1744, in his 23d year, son of Aaron. (His 

tombstone is the oldest in Old Tennent Cemetery). 
Sarah Mattison, died April 23, 1774, in her 49th year. (Her tombstone 

was broken by the Battle of Monmouth). 
Hugh McFerran, died March 7, 1769, aged about 80 years. 
William McKnight, died Oct. 21, 1761, aged about 45 years. 
Elizabeth McGaliard, died Aug. 14, 1797, in her 77th year. 
Robert McGaliard, died March 31, 1782, aged 67 years. 
John McChesne} 7 , died March 10, 1775, aged 45 years. 
Mary McChesney, died May 20, 179 1, aged 56 years, wife of John. 
Joseph Morford, died Aug. 20, 1,760, aged 27 years. 
Col. Henry Monckton, died June 28, 1778. British Officer, killed in 

the Battle of Monmouth. 
Catherine Perrine, died April 28, 1792, in her 84th year, wife of John. 
Rebecca Reid, died June 8, 1796, in her 38th year, wife of Aaron. 
James Robinson, died Jan. 22, 1773, in his 74th year. 
Charity Robinson, died April 23, 1762, in her 58th year, wife of James. 
Henry Robinson, died April 3, 1768, in his 27th year, son of James. 
Thomas Smith, died Oct. 17, 1799, in his 57th year. 
Derrick Sutfin, died June 27, 1796, in his 84th year. 
Mary Sutfin, died Sep. 11, 1794, in her 73rd year, wife of Derrick. 
Phebe Sutfin, died Aug. 5, 1777, in her 24th year, daughter of Derrick 

and Mary. 

Alee Smith, died Jan. 14, 1759, in her 39th year, wife of Legget. 

Michael Sweetman, died Aug. 28, 1766, aged 67 years. 

Mary Sweetman, died Aug. 14, 1771, aged 66 years, wife of Michael. 

Nathaniel Scudder died Oct. 16, 1781, aged 48 years. 

Isabella Scudder, died Dec. 24, 1782, aged 45 years, wife of Nathaniel. 

Samuel Twybill, died Sep. 13, 1799, in his 19th year. 

John Trout, died March 26, 1768, in his 68th year. 

Gilbert Tennent, Jr., died March 6, 1770, born April, 1742. (A physician). 



140 



HISTORY OF OLD TEKNENT. 



Rev. William Tennent, died March 8, 1777, in his 72nd year. (His 
body is buried tinder the church). [min. 

Martha Vanschoick, died June 4, 1791, in her 21st year, wife of Benja- 

Helena Vanderveer, died Aug. 23, 1784, in her 26th year, wife of Tunis. 

Catherine Wyckoff, died Dec. 21, 1782, aged 25 years, daughter of Ja- 
cob and Sarah. 

Sarah Wyckoff, died Aug. 25, 1796, aged 64 years, wife of Jacob. 
Hartshorne White, died April 12, 1774, in his 38th } T ear. 
Phebe White, died Jan. 2, 1775, in her 40th year, wife of Hartshorne. 
George Walker, died Jan. 2, 1791, in his 67th year. [John. 
William H. Woodhull, died Sep. 6, 1798, in his 20th year, son of Rev. 
Mary WyckofT, died May 17, 1781, in her 22nd year, daughter of Jacob 
and Sarah. . [Jacob and Sarah. 

Rhoda Wyckoff, died April 12, 1783, in her 22nd year, daughter of 



About one-half mile east of the Old Tennent church on the brow of 
a little hiil covered with woods, known by the name of "Locust 
Grove," is the grave of Walter Ker, died June 10, 1748, in the 92nd 
year of his age. Near by are two other graves, Margaret Ker, died 
Oct. 1, 1734, in the 73rd of her age, wife of Walter; and Margaret 
Ker, died Dec. 20, 1745, in her 34th year, wife of Joseph. 

On the D. D. Denise farm, about one mile west of Freehold village, 
is the private burying ground of the Rhea family, in which is the 
grave of Janet Rhea, died Jan. 15, 1761, aged about 93 years ; this is 
the Janet Rhea of the corner-stone incident. Here also are a number 
of other graves of the Rhea family. 

On " Wickoff's Hill " two miles east of Freehold village is a family 
burying-plot, in which are the graves of a number of the Forman fam-' 
i\y. Here is Samuel Forman, died Oct. 13, 1740, aged 77 years ; and 
Mary Forman, died March 18, 1728, aged 61 years, wife of Samuel. 

The oldest tombstone in the Perrineville cemetery is that of Joseph 
Holman, died August 9, 1777, in his 9th year. 



XII. 

SOLDIERS' GRAVES IN OLD TENNENT CEMETERY. 

[The following list of the names of soldiers, with their army connections, buried in Old 
Tennent Cemetery, was prepared with much labor some j-ears ago by R. Perrine Craig, 
who was sexton of the church and church yard from 1868 to 1889. The auther acknowl- 
edges the kindness of Mr. Craig in permitting the use of this list in this book, and also in 
furnishing assistance and information in the compiling of this History.] 

SOLDIERS OF THE OED FRENCH WAR AND OF THE REVOLUTION. 

Anderson/James, Lieut. Hazen's Reg't, (2d Canadian), Continental 
Army ; discharged at the close of the war. 

Anderson, John, 1st Lieut. Capt. Reading's Company, 3dBatallion, 1st 
Establishment, Feb. 7, 1776 ; resigned. Capt. 4th Battalion, 2d Es- 
tablishment, Nov. 28, 1776 ; retired Sept. 26, 1780. Also, Capt. mil. 

Anderson, John, Priv., Capt. Waddel's Company, istReg., Monmouth. 

Anderson, Kenneth, Adjt., 1st Regt., Monmouth, May 1, 1777. 



APPENDIX. 



141 



Baird, David, Private, ist Regt., Monmouth ; Sergt, ditto, 1776; En- 
sign, ditto; Lieut., ditto; Quartermaster, ditto; Capt, ditto, 1777. 
Baird, John, Revolution. 

Bowne, Joseph, Corporal, Capt. Waddell's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Bowman, John, Capt. Dunn's Company, ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Brewer, Joseph, Captain, Monmouth. 

Craig, David, Private, Captain Walton's troop, Light Dragoons, Mon- 
mouth ; Sergeant, ditto. 

Craig, James, Ensign, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Mon- 
mouth ; Ensign troop, ditto ; State, ditto. 

Craig, John, Capt. Waddell's Company, ist Regt., Monmouth. 

Craig, John, ist Lieut., Capt. ElishaWalton's Co., istReg't, Monmouth. 

Craig, Samuel, Troop Light Horse, Monmouth. 

Craig, William, teamster. 

Campbell, William, Continental army. 

Campbell, John, Capt. Waddell's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Clayton, Jonathan, Capt. Walton's Troop Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Cale, Jacob, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Conover, David, Monmouth. 

Conover, (Covenhoven), Theodorus, Sergt. Capt. Hankinson's Com- 
pany, ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Conover, John M., Troop Light Dragoons. 

Covenhoven, Cornelius, Capt. Hankinson's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Covenhoven, Lewis, Sergt., Infantry; Sergt. Troop Light Horse, Mon. 
Covenhoven, John, Col., Mon. ; Capt. Hunn's Co., ist Regt., Monmo'th. 
Covenhoven, John, Capt. Walton's Troop Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Covenhoven, Win., Capt. Hankinson's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Combs, Joseph, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons ; Serg't, ditto, 
Combs, Thomas, Captain, Rangers, Middlesex. [Monmouth. 
Combs, John, Capt. Waddell's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Chambers, John, Capt. Walton's Troop Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Cheeseman, William, Private, Sergeant. 
Davis, William, Captain. 
Dey, John, Monmouth. 

Edwards, Thomas, 2nd Lieutenant, Monmouth. 
Emmons, Abraham, Monmouth. 
English, David, Middlesex. 

English, James, Surgeon's Mate ; State Troops, Surgeon's ditto. 
English, James, Monmouth. 
Errickson, Michael, Monmouth. 
Forman, David, Paymaster, Monmouth. 

Forman, Jonathan, Cornet, Capt. Walton's Troop Light Dragoons, 

Monmouth ; Cornet, Capt. Walton's Co., (horsemen), State troops. 
Forman, Jonathan, Capt. Waddell's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Forman, Tunis, Private, Sergeant. 

Forman, William, Capt. Walton's Troop Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Freemen, Henry, Fifer, Continental Army. 

Gordon, David, Ensign, Capt. Elisha Walton's Co., ist Reg't, Mon- 
mouth, May 7th, 1777 ; Captain, ditto, 1778. 
Gordon, Ezekiel, Middlesex. 
Gordon, James, Middlesex. 
Gordon, Jonathan, Revolution. 



142 



HISTORY OF OLD TEOTTENT. 



Hays, John, Capt. Bond's Co., 4th Battalion, 2nd Estab. Also militia. 

Hankinson, James, Capt. Walton's Light Dragoon's, Monmouth. 

Hankinson, Kenneth, Capt. Colonel Forman's Battalion, Heard's Brig- 
ade, June 16th, 1776; Captain, 1st Regt., Monmouth, 1777. 

Herbert, Daniel, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 

Herbert, James, Troop Light Horse, Monmouth. 

Henderson, John, Lieutenant, Monmouth ; Captain, ditto, 1777. 

Henderson, Thomas, 2d Major, Col. Stewart's Battalion, Minute Men, 
Feb. 15, 1776 ; Major, Col. Heard's Battalion, June 14, 1776 ; Lieut.- 
Col., Colonel Forman's Bat., Heard's Brigade ; Brigade Major, Mon. 

Johnston, Peter, Sergt., Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Mon. 

Johnston, Win., 3rd Battalion, 1st Estab.; Capt. Flanagan's Co., 3d 
Battalion, 2d Estab.; Capt. Anderson's Co., 3d Regt.; 1st Regt. 

Low, Alexander, Sergeant, Monmouth. 

Laird, Moses, Revolution. 

Laird, William, Cap. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 

Laird, William, Capt. Nixon's Troop, Horse, Middlesex. 

Laird, Richard, Private, Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth ; 
Corp. ditto ; Serg't ditto. Also, Serg't Pulaski Legion, Cont. Army. 

Leonard, Samuel, Serg't, Capt. Waddel's Company, 1st Reg't, Mon- 
mouth ; 1st Battalion, 2d Estab., 3d Reg't ; also militia. 

Lloyd, John, Capt. Waddel's Company, 1st Reg't, Monmouth. 

Mount, Matthew, Revolution. 

McKnight, Joseph, Monmouth. 

MeChesney, Robert, Revolution. 

McDermott, William. 

Newell, Hugh, (grandfather of Gov. Newell), blacksmith, Capt. Brew- 
Perrine, John, Middlesex. [er's Company, Monmouth. 

Perrine, Lewis, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 
Perrine, Matthew, Middlesex. 

Reid, Aaron, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Horse, Monmouth. 

Reed, John, Serg't, Capt. Hankinson's Conipan}', 1st Regt., Monmouth. 

Rogers, John, Revolution. 

Rogers, Samuel, Lieut. Tice's Compaii}-, 1st Regt., Monmouth. 

Rue, John, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 

Scudder, Nathaniel, Lieut. Col., 1st Regt., Monmouth. Col. ditto, 
Nov. 28th, 1776 ; killed in skirmish with refugees at Shrewsbury, 
Monmouth County, N. J., Oct. 15, 1781, 

Schenck, RulifF, Capt. Flanagan's Company, 3d Battalion, 2d Estab. 

Seabrooks, Stephen, Troop, Light Horse, Monmouth. 

Smith, Thomas, 1st Reg't, Monmouth ; also Continental Army. 

Sprowls, Moses, Private, 3d Battalion, 1st Estab. ; Private, Capt. Pat- 
terson's Co., 3d Battalion, 2d Estab. ; Private, 1st Reg't ; Serg't, 3d 
Reg't; Quartermaster-Serg't, ditto; Ensign, 2d Reg't, June 21, 
1781 ; Ensign, 1st Reg't ; discharged at the close of the war. 

Sutphen, Derrick, Private, Capt. Waddel's Co., 1st Regt., Monmouth ; 
Serg't Capt Barnes Smock's Co., Artillery, ditto. 

Sutphin, Joseph, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 

Sutphin, John, Capt. Hankinson's Company, 1st Reg't, Monmouth. 

Suydam, Jacob, Middlesex. 

Thompson, Joseph, Capt. Waddel's Co., 1st Reg't, Monmouth. 
Tone, William, Capt. Nixon's Troop, Light Horse, Middlesex. 



APPENDIX. 



143 



VanCleve, Benjamin, Ensign, Capt. Smock's Co., ist Regt., Mon- 
mouth, Sept. ist, 1777 ; Lieutenant, ditto; Captain, ditto, 1780. 
Vanderveer, John, Monmouth. 

Voorhees, John, ist Battalion, 2nd Regiment ; ist Regt. 

Walker, Aaron, Fifer,. Continental Army ; also Drummer, Capt. Wad- 

del's Co., ist Reg't, Monmouth. 
Walker, George, served as Capt. in 2nd Battalion, 2nd Establishment, 

as a volunteer without pay; Ensign, 2d Regt., Sept. 26, 1780; Lieut., 

ditto, Jan. 1, 1781; discharged at the close of the war; Capt. by brevet. 
Walton, Elisha, Ensign, ist Reg't, Monmouth; Capt., ditto, May 7, 

1777; 2d Major, ditto ; ist Major, ditto, March 27, 177S ; Major 

Battalion, State Troops, June 11, 1779. 
Wilson, Joseph, Revolution. 
Woodhull, John, D.D., Chaplain. 

Wickoff, Jacob, Capt. Hankinson's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Wikoff, William, Corp., Capt. Waddell's Co., ist Regt., Monmouth. 
Yetman, James, Private, Continental Army ; Sergeant, ditto. 
Yetman, John, Monmouth. 

Perrine, Peter, Captain, Third Battalion, Middlesex. 

Rhea, David, Lieut., Capt. John Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Mon- 
mouth; Lieut., Capt. Walton's Co., State Troops, (horsemen); Lieut., 
Capt. Nixon's Troop Light Horse, Middlesex; Quartermaster, militia. 

Coward, Enock, (Grandfather of Capt. Enoch L. of 14th Regiment). 

Henderson, Wm., Capt. Holmes's Co., 4th Battalion, 2nd Establishm't. 

Clayton, John, Capt. Walton's Troop, Light Dragoons, Monmouth. 

SOLDIERS OF THE WAR WITH ENGLAND, l8l2 AND '14. 



Anderson, Jno. L. Capt. 
Brewer, Daniel, 
Boyde, John, 
Bovvne, Peter, 
Bruen, Cyrus, 
Coward, Enock, 
Combs William, 
Clayton, John, 
Conover, Rob't, Capt., 
Conover, John I., 
Conover, Benjamin, 
Craig, John, 
Craig, Joseph, 



Craig, Robert E., 
Emmons, Isaac, 
Freeman, Simeon, 
Gordon, Lewis, 
Gordon, John E., 
Gordon, James, 
Hampton, William, 
Laird, David, (Navy 
Kerr, Joseph, 
Myers, Nathaniel, 
Malatt, Matthias, 
Nesbit, John 
Perrine, Rob't, Quar 



Robinson, Jas., Capt. 
Robinson, John, 
Rue, William, 
Teneyck, Wm., Capt. 
Thomson, Joseph, 
Thompson, Pearson, 
VanSchoick, Samuel, 

), Voorhees, Stephen, 
White, William, 
Wilson, Robert, 
Yetman, Eseck, 
Yetman, Walter. 

termaster. 



SOLDIERS OF THE WAR OF 1 86 1 



Abrahams, James, 
Breece, William, 
Coombs, William, 
Duncan, William, 
Dey, Roland, 
Fisher, David R., 



Fisher, David A., 
Gordon, Conover, 
McChesney, Geo. S. 
Rue, John A., 
Reid, Spafford W., 
Smith, Josiah. 



Smith, Jacob,* 
Van Aman, James N., 
Woodhull, Dr. Addison, 
Weeden, John E., 
Yetman, Tunis. 



* Also served in the war with Mexico. 



144 HISTORY OF OLD TENKENT. 



XIII. 



MEMORIAL. 



Iu October, 1S94, the Synod of New Jersey adopted the following resolution : " That a 
Committee be appointed to consider and report what shall be done, if anything, to com- 
memorate the establishment of the old Scots Church and the Tennent Church in Mon- 
mouth county, and the historical places and events thus intimately connected with the 
beginnings of the Presbyterian Church iu this country." Accordingly the following per- 
sons were appointed, The members of Synod's Permanent Committee on Historical Mate- 
rials, viz.: Revs. Allen H. Brown, (chairman), Heurv C. Cameron, D.D., David R. Fraser. 
D.D., Charles Herr, D.D., John C. Clyde, D.D.. Rev. William F. Whitaker, Fben B. Cobb, 
D.D., R. Hamill Nassau, D.D., aud elder James Steen ; and with these. George Swain, 
D.D., Rev. Frank R. Symmes, Rev. Henry Goodwin Smith, elder R. Perrine Craig of Ten- 
nent church, and elder Andrew Perrine of the church in Freehold, members of the Pres- 
bytery of Monmouth. At the same session of Synod this Joint Committee (for so it was 
called) was " authorized to arrange for the visitation of these historic places, and for 
appropriate addresses, on some one day of next summer ( 1895), without involving the Syn- 
od, as a Synod, iu auy finaucial responsibility." After deliberations of this Joint Commit- 
tee and especially by the Executive Committee which it had appointed of its number, 
arrangements were finally completed for the visitation or " Pilgrimage," to take place on 
Tuesday, June 4, 1895. Extensive preparations were made. Invitations were sent to 
different ecclesiastical bodies, to various institutions, and to high public officials, to be 
present at the exercises ; and general notices were given through the press. About this 
time the Rev. Henry Goodwin Smith issued in pamphlet form an excellent history of the 
Old Scots Church which he had studiously aud carefully written, aud which may still be 
procured for 60c. by mail from Mo'reau Bros.. Freehold, N. J. A very interesting and 
appropriate program was previously arranged by the Committee for the exercises of the 
whole day. This was carried out iu the main, with but few omissions or changes. On 
the day appointed, June 4, 1895, a goodly assemblage of people gathered iu the Old Scots 
cemetery under the trees during the forenoon. Here, besides devotional services and 
singing, addresses were made ou " The Beginnings in Monmouth," by Rev. Geo. Swain, 
D.D.. on " Walter Ker aud his Posterity," by Rev. Frank Melville Ker, on " Makemie. 
our First Father, and his Mouument : Oar First Presbyter} 7 and its Fruits," by Rev. Johu 
S. Mcintosh. D.U., and on " Rev. Johu Boyd " by Rev. Heury Goodwin Smith. A large 
portion of the Pilgrimage dined in Freehold. In the afternoon a still larger assemblage 
gathered in the Old Teuneut Church and filled it to overflowing. The prepared program 
was followed out. The pastor of the church extended greetings to the assembled compa- 
ny, aud exhibited interesting relics ; addresses were made on "Pioneer Guard of New 
Jersey Presbyterianism " by Rev. Howard Duffleld. D.U., on " The Presbyterian Histori- 
cal Society " by Rev. J. Heury Sharpe, D.D., on " The Battle of Monmouth " by Col. Jas. 
S. Yard, and, on " Prominent Scotch, Irish and Huguenot Settlers of Monmouth Couuty " 
by James Steen, Esq., together with devotional services and singing. The Treasurer of 
the Joint Committee, Rev. Eben B. Cobb, D.D., made a plea for funds, (1) To pay the ex- 
penses of this meeting, estimated at $200. (2) To have printed the proceedings, including 
the speeches, $100. (3) To secure funds to remove the old stone, now falling to decay, 
over the grave of Rev. John Boyd, to the Presbyteiiau Historical Society, and to erect a 
monument in its place, $700. In the collection that was taken there were $84.97. A vote of 
thanks was tendered to Rev. Allen H. Brown for his valuable and successful services iu 
plauniug and carrying out this Pilgrimage. This Pilgrimage meeting also appointed the 
Committee of the Synod to serve as a Committee to cany out the expressed desire for the 
removal of the stone, and securing of a monument over the grave of the Rev. John Boyd, 
with power to add to their number. The session of the Old Tennent Church had, previ- 
ously to this, expressed their willingness for the removal of this tombstone provided a 
suitable granite stone with inscriptions be erected in its place. The enrollment of those 
attending this " Boyd-Tenuent Pilgrimage" showed a large number that came from 
various Presbyteries, from different church denominations, and from historical societies, 
besides interested visitors, and reporters for prominent newspapers. The Synod of 1895 
heartily thanked the Rev. Allen H. Brown for his interest and zeal in this historic memo- 
rial ; and resolved " That the Joint Committee be continued, with the addition of one 
ruling elder from each Presbytery, to solicit funds for the publication of the proceedings 
of the late commemoration, aud for the due preservation of the ancieut gravestones of 
Johu Boyd and of Johu Teuneut, and for the erection of a suitable memorial or monu- 
ment on the site of the Old Scots Meeting House, where the first Presbyter} 7 ordained 
Johu Boyd, aud that the said Committee have discretionary power to execute these ob- 
jects, provided that they see the way entirely clear financially." The Synod of 1896 con- 
tinued this Committee. 

At present (1897) this Committee is working towards the erection of the proposed mou- 
ument in the Old Scots yard ; and if sufficient fuuds can be procured the Committee hope 
in the near future to accomplish this object. When this is finally completed, the old 
weather-worn tombstone that now stands over the grave of Rev. John Boyd, will be re- 
moved to the rooms of the Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, or to some 
Other safe place for secure preservation. - V- 



TOMBSTONE OF REV. JOHN BOYD IN 1895 ; OLD SCOTS GROUND. 
(Kindness of Rev. H. G. Smith.) 



